Pride
by TaiFengDragon
Summary: A man's power and status is judged by his wealth, linage, manners and the number of women he had. An adaption from Pride and Prejudice.
1. The arrival of the newcomers

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma characters. (the edited version)

'It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife ( Jane Austen in Pride & Prejudice )'

This saying was so well-fixed in the minds of the small town, Nerima, that every wealthy young man that stepped in this town would be considered as the husband-to-be of some random single lady in town. However, no families were more anxious to marry their daughter off than the patriach of the Tendo family, Soun Tendo. As a widower and father of not one but three daughters and no heir, his only solance was to find suitable rich husband for his three deserving daughters before he died.

"Kasumi! Nabiki! Akane! Please abandon what you are doing currently and come immediately to my study. I have excellent news to share with you."

Kasumi, the eldest daughter, wiped her hands on the apron and glanced at the kitchen table. The servants had a day off, giving her a rare opportunity to prepare meals for her loving family. Dinner is ready to be served. With her serene smile, she approached the study, wondering which young man her father had in mind.

Nabiki's fingers danced with the beads on the abacus as she calculated the family's monthly expenditure. With a brillant mind inherited from some long lost ancestor, she was able to keep her family well fed and provided comfort from her father's modest income of two thousand pounds a year. This month's savings, with the addition of the profits she earned from her little schemes, was more than enough to meet their demands sufficiently. Pleased with the financial well being of the family, she gave a satisfied smile and made her way to the study.

Akane, the youngest member of the family, gave a tired sigh. Pieces of concrete were strewn all over the traning room. Ever since, she was a child, she tried to learn martial arts from her father by watching him training and practised the moves later. She had to bribe Nabiki to keep her training a secret from her father just because the societyviewed it as unfeminine.Currently, shewas able to master the intermediate techniques and moves but it did not satisfy her passion for martial arts. It was at this moment that she wished she was a boy.Sighing in defeatat her fate,Akane straightened her dress and brushed off the dust before joining her sisters and father in the study.

Soun received them with much excitement and motioned them to take their place quickly. Clearing his throat, he begun.

"During the council meeting this morning, I have learnt that the Red Orchids Mansion was being taken by a bright, young doctor of promising future and large fortune. He would settled down there by the end of this week."

He paused, hoping that his daughters would sharehis excitment.

"As the town council member, I would certainly pay a visit to him and hope he returns it soon. Of course it would be a great pleasure if he chose one of you to be his bride, A man with four to five thousand a yearwould be a good catch for a woman from a middle income family like us. There are also a dozen girls taking an interest in him but I'm sure my beautiful daughters would far surpassed them and leave a lasting impression in his mind. Nevertheless, you should prepared for his arrival, especially you dear Akane. Don't take meas a fool. I knew you are training secretly. Although I wouldn't stop you from it, I must remind you once again that men prefer women of grace and charmrather than rockmuscles."

The girls listened the long speech with varying interest. Kasumi gave her father her ever ready smile and returned to the kitchen to add the finishing touch on her dishes once he had finished. Nabiki was calculating mentally how the young man's fortune would be spent and frankly speaking, she was not really impressed. Akane listened with disinterest. She was not very fond of men due to her past experience with them. She was teased mercilessly by them when they found out about her martial arts training. They played a game in which that if a boy defeats her, she would be engaged to him. Her beautiful features and womanly figure worsen the situation and she constantly found herself engaged in twenty fights or more a day. Fortunately, her training paid off and she managed to win every fight that crossed her path. Now, only one of two brave young men would occasionally challenge her as most of the boys could not afford to loose one or two teeth.

A few days after Soun's visit, he was rewardedwhen the doctor returned it and welcomed him graciously to their house. The doctor, Tofu Ono, had heard much of the Tendo girls' beauty and had entertained the thought of being introduced to them but he only get to meet their father. The girls, however, were lucky to catch a glimpse of his physical appearance but not his face. His well fitting clothes revealed a well built body and the girls marveled at his strength when he swung himself off his horse before. An invitation to dine with them was given to and refused politely by Dr Tofu as he had other engagements. However, a positive answer was given to the delighted Soun about the incoming welcome ball planned for him to be introduced to the principal people in Nerima. Dr Tofu revealed that he was also planning to bring with him a party of people from north of England and would be planning to meet them there. All this generated much interest among the Nerima inhabitants as it was months since they saw a new face in town.

On the day of the ball, the guests assembled anxiously at the hall to welcome the newcomer and his fellow companions. When Dr Tofu arrived, he brought with him a lady and two gentlemen, much to the relief of the girls as there was speculation that he had with him twelve ladies and five gentlemen in his group.

The woman glided smoothly and proudly around the room and nodded slightly when introductions were being made. The expensive gown she wore brought out the beauty in her and revealed her slim but womanly figure. She was introduced as Ukyo Kunoji, niece of Dr Tofu Ono.

Dr Tofu was a bespectacled man in his late twenties but good looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance and easy unaffected manners. Even Akane was so taken in by his good looks and pleasing manners that she could not help but blushed slightly when he asked her for a dance.

One of the young men looked overwhelmed by the sheer number of ladies in the room as there were two ladies to one man in the room. His shy demeanor, cute fangs and his fortune ofsix thousand pounds a year caused some single ladies to look at him with interest. He was about to became the husband property of the ladies in the room until he was introduced as Lord Ryouga Hibki and was engaged to Dr Tofu sister, Akari.

However, the centre of attraction was the other gentleman. His well muscular but lean body, handsome and noble features, and a report, which made its wayinto thegeneral circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand pounds a month, made him the darling among the audience for at least halfthe night. The pigtailed gentleman was known as Lord Ranma Saotome.

Author Notes: This is my second fic. I started to write this after reading the book Pride and Prejudice although the plot may be twisted a bit to suit the characters and some of them may be OOC. I will still try to stick to the original story although right now, I have a bit of difficulty assigning roles to certain characters in the book. Reviews are welcome.


	2. The ball

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma characters. 

Although Ranma commanded the audience attention for the half of the evening, his manners turned the tide of his popularity among the Nerima citizens quicklyas he was discovered to be the proudest of all his companions. He danced only once with Ukyo and spent the rest of the evening scrutinizing the surroundings and spoke little to no one else but his companions. He declined being introduced to the rest of the company and stood at a corner with a bored expression. His character was decided. He was the most disagreeable man they had ever set their eyes onand not even his large fortune could save him from his fate.

Dr Tofu, on the other hand, made himself aquainted with everyone in the room and danced in every dance. His friendly and lively manner made him a generally well-liked character. Even thoughhis fortunewas considerably less than his proud companion, his personalityand caring nature earned him the most eligble bachelor status among the ladies.

Lord Ryouga, with a little prompting, soon joined his friend and enjoyed the entertainment provided in the ball. Even though he was not available, hisconversation skillsand carefree smile made him a favorite among the ladies, both young and old.

Lady Ukyo declined to be introduce to the rest of the community and only gave her attention to Lord Ranma.

Due to the lack of gentlemen, Akane sat down occasionally during the dance, not that she mind in the first place, and entertained herself by observing the guests and her sisters. Ranma had been standing near enough for her to overhear any conversation between him and his companion. Even if his mind registered her presence, he made no attempt to start a topic with her and Akane was fine with it as she wanted nothing to do with him too. A few minutes later, Ryouga joined Ranma.

"Why are you standing there like a rock? There are plenty of girls in this room who are availabe. Asked them for a dance or two." Ryouga persuaded.

"Not interested. There is no lady here that caught my fancy. It would be a torture for me to dance with them." Ranma replied in an abrupt manner.

"Come on. There are many beautiful ladies here. The most beautiful one is Miss Kasumi Tendo but she is now dancing with Dr Tofu. Well he seems to be dancing quite stiffly though. I guess we better not interupt their dance lest we might get hurt." Ryouga looked around andhis eyes finally settled on the lady sitting quietly next to Ranma "How about the Tendo lady sitting near you? She is a beautiful creature."

Ranma glanced at Akane, caught her eye, and turned back to Ryouga.

"She looked so tomboyish. And there is hardly a good feature on her face. Are your eyesight failing you or are you torturing me into dancing with her? She is pretty but not pretty enough to tempt me."

No sooner he said it, a chair landed on his head. Ranma whirled around and glared at Akane but she continue to stared innocently at the dancing couple in front of her and made no slight indication to look at his direction. The rest of the guests chose to ignore the commotion except Ukyo who rushed to his side and made soothing noise while asking repeatedly who did this to him. Rubbing his head, Ranma grumbled, " Definitely Uncute too." He grimaced when another chair hit him, causing some guests to laugh softly.

Akane walked to her two best friends, Yuki and Sayuri, who were giggling at the scene before them. They also overheard the conversation betweenthe Lordsand were indignant at the remark about being a torture dancing with them. They were delighted that Akane did them justice by throwing the chair at him although they were worried that the insults might hurt her pride. Fortunately, it did not dampened her spirits and she winked at them and joined the laughter.

After fending off Ukyo's attempts, Ranma scowled at the gigglnig girls. But his resentment vanished instantlyas the sight of Akane laughing and smiling took his breath away. Her smile melt his heart of ice. Her brown eyes warmed his soul. Her playful tone was music to his ears. Her dress hugged tightly to her body, showing her well toned body and womanly curves.

Perfect

That was the only word in his mind. He could not find any insults to throw back at her despite the fact that he was well known among his companions for his posionous words when insulted. His hard features softened when she giggled at something her friend said. Suddenly, he wished he knew what the joke was.

At that instant, their eyes met and hers flashed with anger. The damage was already done. He hurriedly turned back to Ryouga, gulit gnawing in his stomach, and tried to converse with him. But Ryouga,who had also witnessed the beautiful scene before him,gave a hasty excuse and made his way smoothlyto Akane. Ranma watched Ryouga ask Akane for a dance and his eyes followed them to the dance floor. To his surprise and anger, he felt his chest tightened as jealousy hit him hard. 'Be prepared to be bedridden once we get back, Hibiki Ryouga' he thought grimly. He quickly regained his dignified composure and tried to look bored but his restless eyes repeatedly darting towards a certain dancing couple.

'This gentleman seems nice compared to his horrible companion, although his sense of direction is a little distorted.' Akane thought as she steered him to the right direction for the tenth time. While dancing, she looked over her partner's shoulder for her sisters. She smiled softly at Kasumi who was dancing her sixth dance with Dr Tofu although he seems to be dancing very strangely. It was quite obvious to her that Kasumi was flattered at the attention she received from Dr Tofu andthe doctor himselfwas on cloud nine. Nabiki was making a quick profit from Lady Ukyo, judging from the glint in her eyes. Her father was watching Kasumi with unshed tears of happiness and was determined not to make a scene.

And Lord Ranma. Was it her imagination that Ranma had been staring at her since she danced with Lord Ryouga? It seems that his gaze never left herever sinceshe joined her group of friends. At that instant, he looked so lonely standing at the corner of the room and she attempted to give him a small smile. But the conversation and the insults rushed back at her a second later andat the next moment, her back faced Ranma as she ignored him for the rest of the evening.


	3. Afterthoughts

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma Characters  
  
Soun was delighted with the attention that his daughters received in the ball, especially his eldest daughter, and proudly told them so on their way back from the ball. Although he was in high spirits, he could not forget the insults Lord Ranma threw at Akane and his impression of Ranma dropped drastically from admiration to disgust in a matter of seconds. Although he was eager to match make them off instantly whenever there was an opportunity, his first concern was his daughter's happiness and well being. No matter how rich or popular the suitor is, he would gladly denounce the engagement and take care of them if his concerns were not met.  
  
After their father retired in his room, the three Tendo sisters discussed the evening ball with much enthusiasm and excitement.  
  
"Kasumi oneechan, my instincts and observation told me that Dr Tofu was bewitched by you. He could not take his eyes off you throughout the evening when you appeared. You may not have known but before you entered the hall, he behaves very much like a gentleman – manly, polite and witty. But he laid his eyes on you, for some strange reason, his glasses fogged and he had a silly grin on his face. The funniest moment is that he held his hand out to the vase next to you and was about to ask you for a dance had not Nabiki shifted his hand to you instead. And he was dancing around the room in elation when you smile and said yes. It must be love at first sight for him." Akane gushed.  
  
"Oh my. Your profile of him is very pleasing to hear although he seems a bit strange at times. I was flattered when he asked me to be his dance partner for the evening. I did not expect such compliment. However I also noticed that a little sister of mine who dislike boys seems to be attracted to him too." Kasumi and Nabiki both smiled and winked at Akane, who turn red with embarrassment and started to deny it without trying to turn into a deeper shade of red.  
  
"Dear Akane, I watched you grow up and you always never had a good word for any of the boys you met. For Dr Tofu to receive such a compliment about his character, it would be a great honor to him. I'm sure he and you would make a fine couple."  
  
Kasumi smile fondly at her little sister. She was always worried for Akane as she grew up in a world without motherly love unlike Kasumi and Nabiki who had some training with their mother about their roles in the society. Losing their mother to an unknown illness, Kasumi tried her best to take up her mother's role and guide Akane although she knew that she was nowhere as perfect as her mother in bringing up young Akane. She was secretly concerned about Akane's future and happiness as her character does not fit in as a demur lady of womanly grace who gentlemen often sought after as an ideal wife. From her own observation of Dr Tofu, he would be an ideal husband for Akane as he is the kind of man who would overlook the flaws that Akane had. She would rather married last than to see Akane being a spinster for the rest of her life.  
  
Nabiki, who saw what Kasumi was getting at, decided to help her along.  
  
"Well, Akane my little sister, you have chosen your future lifelong partner well. I gather some information about him and it seems that his future prospects are very bright. He is a chiropractor and masters the acupressure, acupuncture and monxibustion arts. On top of these, he is a martial arts master too. A perfect match for our martial arts lady here. Akane, I congratulate you . You are well on the patch in securing your happiness and mine too. My future sister- in- law would be my money supplier. Such vanity she possessed was too much for her own good and I intended to make use of it to draw a steady income for myself. I hope that I would not spend all her dowry away or else Mrs Akane Ono would have to take care of a vain spinster, which I'm sure you do not want to."  
  
Nabiki laughed and even Kasumi had difficulty in keeping a serene expression on her face. Akane was still in shock at the implications at her older sisters 'speech. Nabiki continued, "His friend, Lord Ryouga, is also very gentlemanly although a bit bashful. Too bad he is engaged or I would have given you leave to like him if the report of his fortune is true. However, Lord Ranma, I quite detest this man. Rich and powerful he is but his character is too much to bear. A very conceited gentleman."  
  
Kasumi quickly chided for saying such horrible things but Akane totally agreed with her though she had forgotten about his insults. His attitude in the ball left her determined to have nothing to do with him. But instincts told her that she would most likely see him again as he would not forget the humiliation she put him through.  
  
Author's notes. Another chapter is up. Well I 'm not so sure what to write for the next chapter as I got a few different ideas. But I guess it is time to let Ranma and co to be the main characters, don't you think so? Reviews are welcome. The more reviews, the more encouragement and then perhaps, the faster I would upload a new chap. For now, this is TFD signing off. 


	4. Dinners, balls and more insults

In the next few days, invitations from the Red Orchids Mansion were sent to the Tendo family. Soun saw it as a sign of both parties seeking a better understanding with each other and accepted them with alacrity. Dinner was often a hilarious affair and most of the time, it failed in its objective. It was no surprise to both Nabiki and Akane that the cause of all this was the host himself. He was a complete gentleman in front of them when he met them at the doorway but when a certain lady appeared from the carriage, his glasses misted and danced with his skeleton, who he affectionately called Betty, around the waiting room, much to their embarrassment. During dinner, he would feed Betty from his plate and was unable to make a decent conversation with the guests. After they took leave, Dr Tofu danced with Betty once more before he returned to his normal self. Kasumi perceived his actions as trying to amuse them and make them feel at ease, causing both her sisters to sigh in defeat.  
  
Miss Ukyo, obviously trying to hide her embarrassment but failing miserably, enquired pleasantly about their well-being and gave her full attention to Kasumi, whom she knew to be the object of her brother's affection. She said little to the two other sisters and completely oblivious to Soun's presence. Kasumi received this treatment with pleasure but Nabiki and Akane still saw the superciliousness in her treatment of everybody, hardly excepting her sister, and could not like her.  
  
Lord Ryouga welcomed them warmly as he was bored with the company he had. The losing sparring sessions he had with Ranma lately, although he wondered why Ranma suddenly became so serious in their fight, made him all the more to meet and converse with the Tendo family, particularly the youngest member, as they share a common interest, martial arts. Moreover, Miss Akane always make him feel at ease and her passion for martial arts matched his own although she always initiate their conversation  
  
Lord Ranma, unlike his companion, said little to the guests and preferred to read a book. He received them with cold civility and was returned by the Tendo patriarch with a tone matching his own. Miss Kasumi returned his greeting with her trademark smile while Nabiki curtseyed without a word. Akane gave him a cool smile and made no intention in entering a conversation with him.  
  
Although he was outwardly aloof to her, he wanted to know more about this young lady that intrigued him in the ball. Since then, whenever she made an appearance, he would place himself near her and listen to every conversation she had while pretending to looked distracted elsewhere. Knowing her passion in martial arts ignited his interest even more as very few ladies in his acquaintance had shown much interest and knowledge in this subject let alone masters it. However, trying to get to know her and hiding his presence while doing so proved to be much a challenge especially when the person she initiated a conversation to was Ryouga and he had to summon all his energy to keep his battle aura from flaring when he saw them enjoying each other company. He was also well aware of her attraction to Dr Tofu as her appearance became more demure and sweet when he spoke to her and blushed profusely when he complimented her. Although Ranma would gladly give Dr Tofu the same treatment as Ryouga during their sparring, he did not want to risk Dr Tofu being bedridden for a few weeks and not in condition to invite and dine with the Tendo family.  
  
His hopes of being detached were dashed during a ball held by Tendo's close neighbor and friend, the Masaki. Akane had been watching Ranma quietly since the ball started and was feeling uneasy lest he would plan to insult and humiliate her again. She voiced her concern to Kasumi.  
  
"What will he gain, my dear sister, from listening to my conversations? Although he had a bored expression as always, I could always sense his presence intruding in my conversations and yet, he made no attempts to join in. What could he mean?"  
  
"Maybe he wished to apologize for hurting your pride and wanted to do so when you are alone or he is interested in you and wished to know more about you through your conversation with others."  
  
Akane could scarcely allow herself to believe that Lord Ranma would be interested in her due to their initial encounter and dismissed the notion with a laugh.  
  
"Kasumi oneechan, you are too good a person to put this high and mighty Lord Ranma in a good light. What am I supposed to do with you for having such a kind opinion of him?"  
  
After a few moments, her curiosity got the better of her and she made her way to the source of her concerns. Giving him a smile that would make him the envy of the men in the room, she questioned,  
  
"Did you not agree that I express myself well when I complimented to Sayuri and her family for providing an entertaining evening for the guests? Or is there a flaw which you have detected about this ball that is considered unforgivable in the much superior society you are part of and wished to insult my taste? I'm ready to listen to your 'teachings'  
  
Knowing that he was caught and momentarily stunned by her beautiful smile, Ranma regained his composure quickly and returned her smile with a soft smile of his own.  
  
"Your opinions about this ball is well-grounded and I see no flaws about it that is, what is your term, 'unforgivable'. I assured you that I am enjoying every moment and your taste is not inferior to mine."  
  
His civility astounded her and she wondered how to respond when Dr Tofu interrupted them. Akane blushed slightly at his presence and curtseyed to him, relieved that he had saved her from coming up with a suitable reply. However, Dr Tofu had other plans in mind. Due to his perceived opinion Akane as a sweet and demure girl and unaware of their initial encounter, Dr Tofu offered Akane to Ranma as a dance partner. Before the surprised gentleman could answer, Akane replied, "I hope that you did not think I would walk up to Lord Ranma to ask for a dance as I'm not seeking for a dance partner but to ask some questions that only he himself is capable of answering."  
  
Ranma, not missing the sarcastic tone in her reply, lifted his chin up high and said in a haughty voice. "Do not worry, my lady. I had no intention of asking an unfeminine lady to dance as it would be punishing."  
  
He was soon rewarded with a hand print on his face and Ukyo fussing over him while Dr Tofu shook his head.  
  
Author's note: This is my longest chapter to date. I made some amendments on the setting and events occurred but the yes, the major plot would be similar to that of Pride and Prejudice. There would be some difference in the relationships though. For those who read P&P, the Bennets have 5 daughters and one of them is involved in a major scandal but in this story, the Tendo girls wouldn't be the victims (I like them too much. ) 


	5. Sick

Disclaimer: Ranma Characters are not mine.  
  
The rain was beating heavily against the window panes. Ranma looked out and sighed heavily. He was alone in the training room as Ryouga had retired in his bedroom grimacing in pain after being hit repeatedly by Ranma's lightning punches during their fight. Scenes of the last night ball whirled in his mind and he gingerly touched his cheek. The print had vanished but the pain still lingered on his cheek as a reminder of the incident with a certain blue-haired lady. How could she, a lady of social status lower than him, dare to humiliate him in the public not once but twice? No one, except his parents, had treated him in this manner so disrespectful. He was being looked upon in awe wherever he go and not one had the courage to go against him let alone embarrassed him in the public like she did.  
  
However, when he visualized the smile Akane gave him when she came up to him, all his anger melted and his hurtful pride healed instantly. He thought of her with some complacency. She is different. Never had he saw any woman who had such a fiery spirit in her. When she smiled at briefly at him during the first meeting while dancing with Ryouga, she made him feel so vulnerable and loved. The ladies he associated with were generally demure and tend to fawn over him, an action which he disliked tremendously. He knew that most of them were more interested in his fortune and title than himself. Equipped with this knowledge, he tends to isolate himself away from them. He dreaded to come to Nerima initially as he knew that the saying about a wealthy man would be in want of a wife was had a stronghold there. But now, he could not have regret it even more as he felt the danger of being interested in Akane.  
  
The sound of the doorbell echoed throughout the house, announcing the arrival of the Tendo ladies. His heart leaped with anticipation and his gloomy thoughts vanished in an instant. He made his way to the hall with haste; stopping for a moment to straightened his chinese clothes and put on a expressionless look on his face. However, much to his disappointment, he found Miss Kasumi Tendo alone in the hall but his disappointment gave way to concern when he noticed that she was visibly trembling. Dr Tofu, who was waving Betty's skeletal hand, miraculously became normal when he heard her teeth clattering. Rushing to her side, he picks her up while yelling at the servants to bring blankets and a cup of hot tea. Leaving Dr Tofu to handle the situation, Ranma, inwardly frustrated at the absence of the youngest Tendo lady, made his way to the library when he was soon accompanied by Ukyo, much to his displeasure.  
  
"Have you seen how pale Miss Tendo is when she arrived at the doorstep? She must have caught a cold in this dreadful rain. What could her father be thinking? Letting a lady riding on horseback instead of sending a carriage is too much especially when the weather is so unpredictable these few days. I could not imagine myself on horseback. It would be such a bumpy ride and I could have gotten injured if the horse went wild. Having a lady to journey on horseback could prove one thing; her family is too poor to send a carriage which is such a pity. Don't you think so, my dear Lord Ranma?"  
  
Ranma winced inside at being call 'my dear' but made no reply while Ukyo continued to criticize the Tendo family. Dr Tofu joined them much later with a worried expression. Apparently, Kasumi caught a violent cold and would be unfit to leave this place. It was decided that Kasumi should stay here and recovered and a servant was dispatched to send a message to her family.  
  
The next morning, the inhabitants at Red Orchids Mansion was greeted with a surprise visit from the youngest Tendo lady, much to the delight of Ranma although he did not show it. When she was shown to the dining room where all but Kasumi assembled for breakfast, he could not help but admired the lovely vision before him. As she had walked three miles, her cheeks were flushed healthy pink. He stared in wonder at the brilliancy at which the exercise had given to the creamy complexion. The morning light which shone on her through the windows enhanced the effect it had on Ranma.  
  
Akane was sick with worry when the servant delivered the message to her family. Although she knew that her sister would be in good hands, she could not help feeling ill at ease especially when she though of how silly Mr Tofu act in the presence of her sister. Thus when the first morning ray appeared, she dressed quickly and made her way to the mansion resolutely, ignoring Mr Tendo's pleas not to leave without an escort. Her enquiries after her sister was not favorably answered and she accepted if gratefully when Dr Tofu volunteered to show her to Kasumi's bedroom.

Kasumi was really glad to see Akane but could only manage a weak smile to show her delight. According to Dr Tofu, she had caught a violent cold and had to stay in bed for a few days under observation. Akane was relieved that Dr Tofu was in his normal self or else she would have Kasumi home at once, even to the extent of carrying her and ran back if there is no means of transport available for them.  
  
Meanwhile at the breakfast table, Ukyo pronounced that she had never saw such an awful sight in her life.

"Walking three miles here in such a dirty weather without an escort! What must she be thinking? This behavior is considered unthinkable among ladies of social grace and status like me. And her shoes were caked with mud. I'm sure that you would not like any ladies in your circle of friends to display such behavior, wouldn't you, my dear Lord Ranma?"

"Certainly not."

"My sister, Ukyo, you should not be so critical about Miss Akane's appearance. She must be really concerned about her sister to have come such a long way here. It is a natural and admirable thing to do." Dr Tofu added

"Besides, the exercise did her good too. It gave her radiant and healthy glow to her face. Her dirty shoes escaped my notice." Ryouga smiled.

Ukyo, not happy with her own brother and Ryouga contradicting her, decided to entertain by herself by continuing her verbal abuse while the rest ignored her.


	6. Qualities Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma and Co.  
  
When Dr Tofu left the room, Kasumi turned to Akane and hold her hand. "I knew you would come to visit me. Ever since Mother...left due to an illness, you are always worried when one of us is sick even though it is just a minor illness. Don't worry about me, my dear Akane. Dr Tofu is exaggerating when he said I caught a violent cold. It's just a small cold."  
  
"What are you talking about? You look feverish and your face lost its color. Do not try to dissuade me to leave you alone in this state. Although you did not express much, you also had this fear in your heart when one of us is ill or hurt. Even Nabiki and Father are not spared from this fear. We both had to convince Father that you are well taken care of. Father is hysterical when he read the message. Nabiki is now taking care of him or else she would have rushed over like what I did. I trust Dr Tofu that he will cure you but I would not put my heart at ease until I see you healthy again. Besides, I already lost Mother. I could not afford to lose one of you."  
  
Tears trickled down their cheeks as they remembered the painful moment and they tried to seek comfort in each other's arm.  
  
"Ahem."  
  
They both looked up and saw Ranma standing at the door in a stiff and dignified manner as usual. Akane narrowed her eyes in anger. How dare he barge in without knocking? He inquired about Kasumi's heath and was satisfied with her answer which was said in her usual sweetness although her voice was weak. He then looked at Akane and asked her whether she wanted the carriage to be ready for her departure as it was getting late. However the reluctant looks on their face caused Ranma to convert the offer of the carriage to an invitation to stay in the mansion until Kasumi recovered. Akane thankfully accepted and arrangements were made immediately for her stay.  
  
At six o'clock, Akane was summoned to dinner and only complied when she saw Kasumi slept peacefully. She answered Dr Tofu's enquiries about sister and thanked him profusely for taking care of her. As she took her seat, she noted the absence of Lord Ryouga and asked Dr Tofu so. He replied that Lord Ryouga had some urgent matters to attend to and had to leave their company after breakfast. Throughout the meal, only Dr Tofu attempted to converse with her and give her his attention, making her feel at ease. The rest simply ignored her. Ukyo gave her full attention to Ranma who, much to Akane's delight, was annoyed at her disturbance.  
  
After dinner, Akane immediately made her way to Kasumi's room. Once she was out of sight, Ukyo immediately attacked her. Her manners were pronounced to be very bad. "What a proud girl. With no words of thanks, she rushed to her sister room immediately. Although I felt that I was to blame for Miss Kasumi's sorry state since I was the one who personally invited Miss Kasumi to have tea with us and had no complaints about her putting up here, I do not see the need of having Miss Akane to stay here with us. My brother is more than qualified to treat her. She need not have to worry about her sister. With such ill breeding, I'm not surprised that her family had such lowly connections."  
  
"Even though they had lowly connections, this does not mean that they are any less agreeable than their relatives." Dr Tofu answered  
  
"However, their fortune and connections have an upper hand in determining their future husband's status. I'm, of course with my title and fortune, am expected to marry a woman who had an equal standing as me in the society and not anything less. I also expected my future wife to possess few qualities that only few would have and so far, I only met one or two who met or surpass my expectations." Ranma said with a smirk on his face.  
  
"And may I know what qualities are they, Lord Ranma? You must have very high expectations in order for you to safely say that only a handful has the potential to become your lifelong partner."  
  
Akane stood at the stairway with an amused smile, much to his surprise. She overheard part of the conversation as she was coming down the stairs and it caught her interest although she was quite angry with the remarks made by Ukyo about her family.  
  
"For one to qualify as his wife, she must be beautiful. Her posture and bearing must be ladylike and her taste for fashion and style must be superior. Her manners must be first class. Generally, she must live up the words 'accomplished lady' and had an equal status and fortune as him." His faithful assistant announced.  
  
"Most importantly, she must have the passion for martial arts. And of course, she must not be violent." Ranma looked into Akane's eyes as he emphasized the words in the sentence with great care.  
  
"I am no longer surprised at your knowing one or two. I am beginning to wonder whether you know any instead. Never had I seen such combination whose qualities are so contradicting. A lady who is skilled in martial arts is considered by our society as unfeminine. To be accepted by the superior class like yours, I'm sure that the lady must not have any knowledge of martial arts, let alone skills, as it is a man's thing in your class."  
  
"I'm sure that his acquaintances would not mind about that aspect and they would gladly induct her into their society. I knew of many ladies who possess such qualities during our travels. Perhaps your family was too strict on your money expenditure to allow such luxury of traveling." Ukyo replied with an insolent smile.  
  
"Although my circle of friends is not as wide as yours, I'm sure that you would not find your ideal wife here in Nerima. Besides, your future wife would have my sympathies."  
  
"Excuse me, maybe my expectations are too high for your tastes but I'm sure that she does not require your sympathies. I am a lord with vast fortune and the best martial artiste and my wife should count herself lucky to have me as her husband. But for you, you will need mine because no man would want a violent wife like you." Ranma glared at her, indignant at her words. 


	7. Qualities Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma and Co  
  
Akane restrained herself from reaching her mallet and knocked him will full force as Dr Tofu was watching her with amusement. She did not want him to think of her as a violent lady. Ranma, who was prepared to receive a blow for his smart remark, looked astonished when Akane just gave him a cold shoulder. Turning away from him, Akane asked Dr Tofu,  
  
"Dr Tofu, what qualities do you look for in a wife?"  
  
"Well, she must be understanding and patient because my occupation requires me to travel for long periods. Most importantly, she love me for me and not my fortune or title and I am the one who could make her happy and be there for her. That is all I ask." Dr Tofu answered with a faraway look.  
  
"I guess I may have found what I'm searching for in Nerima."  
  
"Then I wish you joy, Dr Tofu. I'm sure any lady would be honored to be your wife. You choose the qualities well and I would not be surprised that both of you would find happiness and love in each other's company. Not many couples are able to find love in their marriage as they don't get what they choose. Like what Lord Ranma said, social status and fortune determined your future partner and many followed this belief when choosing their lifelong companion. The qualities which you have stated implied that you choose love over society beliefs, a rarity for someone like you of great fortune and status." Akane gave a soft smile and stared dreamily at Dr Tofu.  
  
This time, it was Ranma who tried to suppress the rage inside him when he witnessed the scene before him, particularly Akane's smile and dreamy look. This did not go unnoticed by Dr Tofu, who sensed Ranma's battle aura. Although he and Akane had criticized the belief that Ranma hold dear in his earlier speech, he suspected that it was not the reason for his fury. Rather, it was something else that incurred his jealousy and anger and it involved a certain blue-haired girl. 'This is interesting' Dr Tofu thought.  
  
"You flattered me, Miss Akane. I was once blinded by this belief but my travels and interaction with people of different cultures and beliefs awakened me. What good is status and fortune if you could not share it with someone you loved with all your heart?" He looked in the direction of Kasumi's bedroom with a fond smile.  
  
"I think we better end this topic. Miss Akane, I am impressed as you had shown great maturity in this topic at your age. Nonetheless, you had no experience or interaction with the outside world or else you would know how difficult it is to practice what we said earlier due to all the pressure that the society forced on us. Besides, you are still too young to get married." Dr Tofu quickly added as he could now feel the full blast of Ranma's battle aura.

Akane excused herself abruptly and went to her sister's room. Ukyo, who was frustrated at being ignored by the party during the conversation, was ready to speak to Ranma but he was nowhere at sight. Apparently, he slipped away when she watched Akane disappear with distaste.  
  
In the room, Kasumi was still sleeping soundly. Akane sat on the armchair which was placed near the bed with a sad look on her face. It was apparent that Dr Tofu was in love with Kasumi as it was shown in his actions during their conversation and in Kasumi's presence. Moreover, he still thought of her as a child and act like a gentleman in front of her. It pained her that she would have Dr Tofu as a brother-in-law and not a husband. However, she was happy for Kasumi. Though she did not show her emotions much and always had a cheerful smile on her face, it hurt Akane that she must bear most of the burden since their mother died and had to sacrifice her youth in order to grow up quickly to take over the role. Akane also knew that Kasumi would not get married until the younger sisters did and were well taken care of before she settled down. She voiced her thoughts to her sleeping sister before sleep claimed the tired and emotionally beaten girl.  
  
A few minutes later, a figure entered the room. He stole a brief glance at Kasumi before turning his gaze at the sleeping girl on the armchair. Walking soundlessly on the carpeted floor, he picked her up and carried her to the adjacent bedroom through a connecting door. Before he could place her on the bed, she stirred in his arms without opening her eyes and led out a soft cry. He nearly dropped her on the floor in shock but she clung to his shirt tightly and sobbed quietly in her sleep. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he cradled her and rocked her gently while making soothing sounds until she elicited a contented sigh and snuggled close to him. Careful not to disturb her, he laid her on the bed and covered her with a blanket. He watched her sleeping form for a few more minutes before flinging his pigtail and exiting the room quickly. His hopes of being oblivious were dashed as unknown by him; a doctor was watching his every move with a knowing smile.


	8. Styles and smiles

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½ and co. and Pride and Prejudice  
  
Akane rejoiced when she saw Kasumi fully recovered from the cold the next morning and she thanked Dr Tofu profusely for his help and could not help but giggle when he danced around the room with Betty after seeing Kasumi's smile. Ranma entered the room much later once Dr Tofu was back to normal and congratulate her on her speedy recovery while his eyes kept glancing at Akane. Once the three exited the room to give Kasumi some rest, Dr Tofu asked Akane, much to Ranma's dismay and embarrassment,  
  
"Did you have a good night sleep yesterday?"  
  
Akane, confused by his question, nodded. He smiled and walked away, giving Ranma a winked when he passed him. Trying to hide his blush, Ranma excused himself curtly and mad his way down the stairs. As she watched his departing form, scenes of her dream flashed in her mind. In her dream, she saw her father and sisters vanished before her eyes and before she could open her mouth to scream, she found herself standing in front of her family graves. Emptiness consumed her and the darkness surrounded her.  
  
Before she was fully absorbed in her misery, a stranger reached out for her and carried her to the end of the dark tunnel. He whispered comforting words to her ears and cradled her gently and all she could do was to cling onto him tightly, hoping that he would not leave her. When she opened her eyes, she found, to her amazement, that she was lying on the bed. Who had carried her to the bed? Akane shook her head to clear her thoughts. She was very sure that she was sitting on an armchair when she fell asleep. Did Dr Tofu know who something about last night incident? With a sigh, Akane made a mental note to ask Dr Tofu about it and quickly search for a servant to help her with her immediate task – convey the good news to her father and Nabiki.  
  
Much to Akane's surprise and delight, her father and Nabiki pay a visit to the mansion and she embraced them tightly when they made their appearance. Satisfied on seeing that Kasumi has recovered, Soun sobbed and thanked Dr Tofu while Nabiki engaged in a 'profitable' conversation with Ukyo.  
  
'I hope you made a big profit, my dear sister.' Akane gave a small but evil smile to Nabiki. She turned away from the group and was startled by Ranma's appearance. Apparently, he had moved behind her while she was lost in her thoughts. He motioned her to follow him as he walked stiffly away from the group towards the other end of the mansion. He stopped and slide the door open, revealing a traditional, Japanese style, spacious room. Its walls are lined with various weapons, some of which were new to Akane.  
  
"This is the training hall. Ryouga and I sparred every morning before breakfast here and, of course, I always win. I had heard that you are a martial artiste from your conversations with Ryouga and I would like you to demonstrate your style to me as I wished to know what style you family practiced." Ranma smiled.  
  
Akane did not reply him nor did she make a move to the center of the training hall. After a few moments of silence, Ranma repeated his request, with some surprise at her silence. "Oh! I heard you but I could not give you an immediate answer. If I did what you would requested, you would criticize my style and that is what's in your mind, isn't it Lord Ranma? Well, I have made up my mind not to show you my family style as I had no intention to be the object of your humor. I do not mind if you insult my character or my style but I would not let you insult my family and my martial arts. Although I'm not sure how my style is ranked against the rest in the martial arts world, it is my and my family's pride and joy and I do not want to hear you condemn it. And now despise me if you dare." Akane raised her eyebrow and prepared for another round of verbal argument with him.  
  
Ranma laughed something which he rarely did in front of strangers, and replied this was not his intention. Looking at the room, he said,  
  
"Miss Akane, every type of martial arts has its flaws and worth. No style is said to be superior to the others. Every move has its own counterattack. This is what I had learned during my training journey. I want to see your style not because I want to insult you. I want to learn new moves that may come in handy in a duel. Besides you are not the only one who is proud of your martial arts. Every martial artiste is proud of their own and they are willing to defend their choice of martial arts."  
  
Amazed with his speech, Akane looked at him in wonder and awe and Ranma had ever been so enchanted by any woman as he was by her. Were it not for the inferiority of her connections, he believed that he would be in grave danger. Akane walked to the center and took a fighting stance, her eyes challenged Ranma. He caught the message and faced her seriously. When Akane attacked, he dodged effortlessly.  
  
'He is fast. I never see such speed.'  
  
Tired of the pattern of attack and dodge, she gathered her strength and tried to execute one final punch on his mid section. However he flipped before the punch arrived and landed gracefully behind her. With his forefinger, he tapped on her shoulder. Akane whirled around, her aura building up.  
  
"What is the meaning of this? You never attack at all. If you do not take me seriously, I would like to take my leave now."  
  
"Don't you get tired of being angry all the time?"  
  
"That's my business."  
  
"Fine. But you know...you look cute when you smile."  
  
Author's notes: I apologized for any grammar mistakes that I made in this and the previous chapters. Right now, school would be opening soon and I hope that I could update as soon as possible. Although the story seems to be steering away from Pride and Prejudice and the characters are OCC, the main plot may still be the same. So now I would sign off and of course reviews are welcome.  
  
, smiling): Okay, but you know... You're cute when you smile. 


	9. Recovery and home

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ and co and Pride and Prejudice  
  
Akane was taken aback by Ranma's comment and his gallantry. Though she was used to being called cute by the boys, she had never expected it to come out from the mouth of someone who despised her and vice versa. She walked up to him and placed her hand on his forehead.  
  
"Are you sick, Lord Ranma? To hear such a statement from someone who looked down on common folks like my family would be too shocking, don't you think so? Do you really mean it OR are you trying to catch me off guard by your remark and then attack me? After that, you would insult me for losing my concentration so easily, is that it?" Akane inquired.  
  
Before Ranma could reply, a cold voice answered for him.  
  
"I am VERY sure he wanted you to be caught off guard. Do you seriously think he mean what he said when he called you cute? You knew that your standards are well below his definition of 'cute'. So Miss Akane Tendo, please to not take it to heart when he suddenly say such nice things to you. He is just being sacarstic."  
  
Ukyo and Nabiki were standing at the door way with mixed expression. The former wore a jealous look on her face while the latter had an amused smile on her lips. They had chanced upon the unsuspecting couple while making their way to Ukyo's bedroom. Akane, wishing to avoid a confrontation with Ukyo, ended her sparring session with a quick bow and exited the room quickly and dragged Nabiki with her to Kasumi's room. Ranma watched her go and before he could excuse himself, Ukyo clung tightly onto his arm and congratulate him for winning the sparring session.  
  
"At least she knew that her skills are not as good as your, my dear Lord Ranma."  
  
Wincing slightly at her remark, Ranma responded coldly that he would like to train and wished to be left alone. There were a few things he needs to settle with himself and one of them is...never to let any sign of admiration for Akane escaped from him.  
  
When he finally made it downstairs, Ranma saw that the whole group was there to bid them farewell. Apparently, Akane and Kasumi felt that they had intruded themselves needlessly long and were positively resolved to go home immediately. Soun tried to dissuade them but since he missed his two daughters exceedingly, his arguments were weak and he even helped them to pack up. Miss Ukyo's civility to Akane increased very rapidly when she heard the announcement and even shook hands with her. To Kasumi, she gave her a tender hug and assured her that they would meet again very soon. Dr Tofu waved Betty's hands. Steady to his purpose, Ranma scarcely spoke to anyone and would not even look at Akane.  
  
After dinner, the three sisters assembled in Akane's room and Akane related the whole incident during their stay in the mansion. Kasumi covered her mouth with her hand and uttered "Oh my!" when she heard of Dr Tofu's feelings and Akane's resolve to give him up. Nabiki was more interested in Ranma's behavior towards Akane.  
  
"Akane, you say that he was being gentlemanly to you at the training hall and the words he spoken astonish you. What can you make out of his behavior?"  
  
"I don't know. But I am somehow sure that his motives for doing so are to my disadvantage so I decided to make him reveal his intentions but you and Miss Ukyo interrupted before he can answer. By the way, did you make a huge profit from her?"  
  
"Definitely! She is one of my best customers I ever had. My dear sister, you had incurred the wrath of Miss Ukyo judging from your earlier speech. I suspect that she thought that Lord Ranma was interested in you although you denied that claim. As you know, our dear sister Kasumi may be the future wife of her brother so I guess you better stay away from Lord Ranma for the time being or else she would receive a hard time from Miss Ukyo." Nabiki eyed at Akane gravely.  
  
From her schemes, Nabiki was able to judge Ukyo's character and it was not difficult for her to come to a conclusion that Ukyo disliked her family immensely and would do everything in her power to remove her brother from their influence. At first she was assured that Kasumi would be in good hands after seeing Dr Tofu's strong feelings for her. But after hearing Akane, she feared for Kasumi secretly that she may be a victim of Ukyo's scheme due to her sweet nature.  
  
She was also secretly scared for Akane when she announced that she would give up on him to Kasumi. Although she seems okay, Nabiki knew that deep down inside, she felt lonely and hurt. It was rare to see Akane fall for a man due to her nasty encounters with the boys and the realization and pain that she could not be with the one man that she find so agreeable would be too much to bear.  
  
After their talk is over, Nabiki surprised them with some news.  
  
"Tomorrow, two of ours cousins are coming to pay us a visit. One of them will be staying with us for a certain amount of time while the other is here to make peace with us. It seems that when Father passed away, he would be the one to inherit this house and turns us out as soon as he pleases. So I guess, it would be a rather interesting day tomorrow for us. Well, I better get going and come up with some new plans or else our future would be at stake if the man does not like us."  
  
With a wink and a laugh, Nabiki exited the room, leaving a stunned Kasumi and a appalled Akane behind.  
  
Author's notes: Whew another chapter is finished. As usual, I apologized for any grammar and spelling mistakes. So who will be the two cousins? Well, for those who have read Pride and Prejudice, you would have known that one of them would be taking the place of Mr Collins. After scanning through each characters in Ranma ½, I can't seem to find any which could blend into his role perfectly so this 'Mr Collins' would be OOC. For the other cousin, she would be involved in a great misfortune later. I guess you would have a clear idea whose role she is taking as I love the Tendo sisters so much that I could not afford them to be involved. So I will sign off now. Reviews are welcome. 


	10. Cousins

The Tendo family stood at the door with trepidation when the carriage arrived. The identities of their cousins were not revealed to Akane and Kasumi even though the former offered to pay Nabiki for clues. Nabiki, after amusing herself some time with their curiosity and much prompting by her sisters, finally answered when they waited on their guest,

"I must admit, I do not know who we are expecting. Father was adamant to keep their names strictly confidential. I have already told you what I know last night. Besides, he said that we had never seen them before since birth so I was also kept in dark about them. As they are outsiders to our town, my sources are unable to help me in this matter."

When the gentleman finally stepped down for the carriage, the curious neighbors gazed at him with wonder and words were rapidly passed around that from is appearance, he was a man of fine breeding. He was a tall young man and from his build, one can deduce that he practiced some form of martial arts. His air was grave and stately, and his manners were very formal. He stood proudly and eyed at his host with some distaste before his eyes fell onto the youngest family member.

"What a vision of beauty and loveliness lies before thee! Certainly, the gods have favored you and sent me, a man of noble features and birth, to your door and swept your feet away. I, Kuno Takewaki, aged 25, Master of the Kuno clan, also known as 'Blue Thunder of Furinkan' and feared by all who crossed my path, would accept this task assigned to me. My fair lady, prepare to be swept away by my love."

He rushed towards Akane and was rewarded with an upper punch as a greeting from her, much to the laughter of Nabiki and astonishment of Kasumi and Soun.

After they had settled down in the living room, Soun cleared his throat and began the introduction. His father and Soun were long lost cousins by relation and they met only once in a school when Soun was on a training trip. He visibly shuddered when he recalled their first meeting as he managed to leave the school safely but a with shaven head courtesy of the principal's, which was his cousin, parting gift. Since, his cousin was the only living relation he had, there was nothing to clear Kuno from the guilt of inheriting his house.

However, before Soun could explain further, Kuno interrupted,

"I would like to assure the beautiful young ladies that there were no ill-intentions in my visit. Before I proceed to tell these visions of beauty my reasons for this visit, let me introduce myself. . I am Kuno Takewaki, aged 25, Master of the Kuno clan, also known as 'Blue Thunder of Furinkan' and feared by all who crossed my path. Besides my vast fortune and kendo skills, I was also distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honorable Lady, a handsome woman of refined taste and grace. Her vast fortune and prestige made her one of my finest acquaintances. Alas, the fine lady could not come with me as she had other commitments. However she had given me advice on how to make my journey here as fulfilling as possible and I dare say that, after meeting these ladies, I would heed her advice word by word."

Kuno reached out and held Akane's hand, causing her to tense up visibly, and proclaimed to the startled audience.

"Miss Tendo, I give you permission to marry me, Kuno Takewaki, aged 25, Master of the Kuno clan, also known as 'Blue Thunder of Furinkan' and feared by all who crossed my path........."

Before he could finish his elaborated speech, an upper kick sent him through the roof.

Later in the afternoon, the ladies took a stroll with Kuno limping slightly behind. Each was silent and deep in their thoughts except for the occasional proclamation of love from Kuno. As they reached the main path, the silence was shattered by the galloping of two horses. Approaching from the shadows, Lord Ranma and Dr Tofu greeted the surprised group, the former with a nod and the latter with a cheerful grin and wave (that was before he saw Kasumi).

Introductions were made and Kuno, on learning Ranma's name, seized the chance to get himself acquainted with him. Akane, fearing that Kuno's attitude may further worsened Ranma's opinion on her family, gestured subtly but frantically to Kuno to end his speech but he made no indication to do so. She shook her head in despair when she saw Ranma's eyes narrowed and briefly looked at her with accusing eyes before turning back to Kuno.

'This is really not good. Lord Ranma seems very irritated with Kuno. If this goes on, Dr Tofu's and Sister Kasumi's future would be in jeopardy.'

Hoping to salvage the situation, Akane walked towards the gentlemen and politely interrupt them before steering Kuno away from Ranma by engaging him in a meaningless conversation. When she stole a glance at Ranma, she could not help but feared for the worst. Ranma was looking at her with a small smile. The smile of a predator.

On hearing Kuno introducing himself as one of the distinguished acquaintance of his aunt, Ranma silently fumed. Although he had no grudge against her, he did not like her at all for some reasons unknown to many. He listened to Kuno with bored interest when suddenly Kuno's intention of marrying Akane caught his attention. He begun to listen attentively to every word and winced inwardly when he heard about how Kuno would try to use his inheritance to win Akane over.

When Ranma looked at Akane over Kuno's shoulder, he felt worse. Was Akane trying to hide her engagement away from him by hinting Kuno to keep quiet? He wished he knew. Ranma's agitation increases with every sentence and if not for Akane who ended their conversation curtly, he would have shook Kuno and demanded that he break his engagement. However, Ranma's aura diminished as he observed Akane actions. She seemed desperately trying to listen to Kuno without diverting her attention and failing to do so. Ranma smiled. 'I would not let you get her.'

After they parted each other company with much difficulty (Apparently, Dr Tofu's horse went berserk after being repeatedly forced to waltz), the ladies arrived home. Before they could reach the living room, a shrill voice was heard throughout the house, much to the dismay of the two youngest ones.

"How cute! It is mine. George......It's MINE" Whack!

Author's notes: Sorry for the looooooong delay. As an apology, I wrote a very long story. School has started and I had to study real hard.......................I guess you had a good idea of who will be replacing Wickham after reading this. Hehe....well reviews are welcome......................................


	11. What a mess

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½ and co and Pride and Prejudice. Sigh

"Dad!" Three monstrous Tendo ladies shadowed over the quivering head of the family.

"What do you mean by agreeing to allow Asuza Shiratori to stay with us for a few months?" The blue haired girl yelled

"No wonder you hide the letter from me. I thought it would be.....oh never mind now. Do you know the seriousness of this, dearest daddy? Our family fortune would be used up to pay for her 'cute' collection that she acquired and the medical fees of the owners. My business is not enough to cover all the expenses now that we had two guests, or should I say freeloaders, dearest daddy." The brown haired middle daughter glared icily.

"Daddy, I would have no pots and pans to prepare the meals tomorrow. They are used as cute helmets for the dolls and I am afraid that I would not be able to get them back. Eating at the inn would be very expensive. Oh my, I could not let my dear sisters starve." The eldest daughter shook her head daintily.

"My daughters turn against me." Soun wailed. Nabiki shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly while Kasumi proceed to comfort her father.

Akane clenched her fists. 'This is not good' she grimaced as she watched the fluffy brown haired cousin appearing from one room with her arms full of the training dummies squealing excitedly. They had gotten off from a bad start when Asuza stayed with them for a few days ten years ago. At that time, both spent almost half of the day bickering and snatching Akane's soft toy pig while the rest of the family busily explaining and apologizing to Asuza's 'victims' and sneaking the items back to the respective owners.

'First Kuno and now Asuza is here to join in the fun. What would Dr Tofu and is company think of us? I could almost see the reaction on Lord Ranma's and Lady Ukyo's faces.'

Images of Ranma smirking at her and Ukyo looking at the whole family with distaste swirled through Akane's mind, causing her to panic. The ball would be held in a few days and there would be no stopping for the two from attending. She could not imagine that the fate of Kasumi's future would lie in the hands of two more people, the obnoxious Kuno and the spoilt Asuza. Distressed, Akane scanned around the room until her eyes fell on to the dispassionate middle daughter.

'That's it. I will have a talk with Nabiki. She would know what to do and she also cares a lot for Kasumi despite her icy demeanor. Nothing will stand in Kasumi's way to happiness.'

On the day of the ball, the Tendo ladies and Kuno made their way to the tailor early in the morning to collect their evening dresses and suit. Nabiki, with the help of Akane, managed to keep Asuza busy by locking her in a room full of junk. As they crossed the bridge, they are greeted by two men. The older gentleman, Mr. Katsumoto, was an old friend of Soun and a master of Kendo. Both Kasumi and Nabiki hugged him while Akane bowed respectfully to her master. She then looked questionably at the young handsome man behind.

Mr. Katsumoto smiled at the three ladies. He loved them as his own and had trained all of them in the way of the Sword. Despite their gender, they surpassed the male students with ease and had developed their own style in a short period of time. Nodding to Kuno, he addressed the group with delight.

"My dear Kasumi, Nabiki and Akane, it is good to see you again. I hope you have been training and developing your own moves, my star pupils. It had been a long time since I had sparred with you. Kasumi, I heard that our new resident, Dr Tofu Ono, could not take his eyes off you. From what I had heard, you have an effect on him whenever you appear before his eyes." Mr. Katsumoto chuckled. His source was none other that his students, who were twisted into various angles by Dr Ono whenever Kasumi walked past the dojo. Trying to suppress his laughter, he cleared his throat before continuing.

"Allow me to introduce my nephew, Mikado Sanzenin. He is here on a visit and would be staying with us for a few days."

Mikado bowed and smiled at the ladies, particularly the blue haired girl. His blue eyes glinted with anticipation. Turning to his uncle, he expressed his desire of companying the ladies to the tailor and proceeds to walk beside Akane. Sensing immediate danger, Kuno began to raise his cane and rushed toward him.

"Vile creature, who are you to stand beside the lovely Tendo Akane. I, Blue Thunder, would not allow such atrocity to happen.........." He was rewarded with a graceful kick from Mikado. Unperturbed by the unconscious body, he gave a dazzling smile to the ladies and lead them to the tailor.

Akane smiled nervously at the charming man next to her. He always engaged her with small talks and time to time, gallantly cleared the way for her. She would have enjoyed his company if it was not for the fact that she sensed that he had the same motive as the other boys she knew: to own her. Nabiki and Kasumi talked quietly among themselves and ignored both Akane and her companion.

When they reached the front of the store, Nabiki and Kasumi made their way inside, leaving their sister with Mikado. Seizing the opportunity, Mikado leaned forward and said,

"My beautiful lady, it is time for us to part ways. Although I know that you are feeling hurt inside, I assured you we will get to meet again. I will give you something that will always remind you of our sweet but painfully short acquaintance."

With that, he held the alarmed Akane into his arms and proceeds to kiss her.

"Hello Mikado. I see that you are still a womanizer after all these years. Is kissing girls the only thing on your mind?"

Akane inwardly sighed with relief when Mikado stopped. She pushed him away and turned around to thank the speaker. However, words failed her when she found herself staring into the cold blue eyes. The eyes of Lord Ranma

Author's Notes : Sorry dear readers for taking such a long time to update...I have been pretty busy with all the school stuff......Regarding the grammar and stuff....I use the MsWord check so if there is any problems, direct it to the program hee. I have already plan the outline for the next chap so it will come out pretty soon. Keep the reviews coming please? The more reviews I get, the faster I post................


	12. Anger fueled and wounds healed

Ranma clenched his fists as images of Mikado kissing Akane flooded his mind. He would not allow it. Never! He gritted his teeth when he saw that Akane did not push Mikado or made any attempt to do so. How could she let him take advantage of her right in front of him? He looked at Akane. The sight of her did little to ease his anxiety and anger. Fear, not relief, was shown in her eyes. It took almost all his willpower not to listen to the small voice in his head, whispering to him that Akane wanted the kiss and he should not have interrupted. He gripped his staff tightly.

Akane stared into the Ranma's sapphire eyes. If she was not caught in such an embarrassing situation, she would silently marvel at the intensity of them. Now, all she could see that within the depths of his eyes, a fire was ignited and his stony expression changed to one filled with contempt. Frantically, she looked behind him and saw Dr Tofu giving her an awkward smile. Akane blushed and blushed again with shame and vexation. What would Dr Tofu think of her right now? She shut her eyes tightly and tried to ignore the tears that are threatening to run down her faces.

"Oh my!"

Kasumi and Nabiki had emerged from the tailor and are now watching the scene unfolded. Nabiki smiled thinly as she watched Akane and Ranma. 'I guess it is over, my dear sisters. From the looks of it, our dear Lord Ranma would drag his doctor and steered clear away from us. Akane, I know you want Kasumi and Dr Tofu to be happy and you are willing to sacrifice your happiness to do so. Kasumi, I'm sure you are hoping that Dr Tofu will marry Akane and set your heart at ease. However, much as I want to see Akane happily settled down as you do, I'm certain this would not be the case. Regardless of all this, both of you should want each other to find joy and bliss in having Dr Tofu as her man. Now, both your hopes are dashed given Ranma's distaste and contempt. Guess, we are back to where we started.'

"Good afternoon Lord Ranma. What a marvelous surprise to see you in this small town. I thought you detest such places as there are no people or services worthy of your precious time here. It is a real pleasure to meet you although I must say that I am a bit perturbed at being interrupted." Mikado smiled thinly.

"It is up to me to decide what is worthy of my time. Beside, you should not be here in the first place. The ladies in the cities are starving for your attention and kisses. It is not polite for them to wait on you. You better make it back to the city fast or else you will end up losing their affection and their money." Ranma replied slowly, emphasizing every syllabus.

He gave a feral smile when he saw Mikado cringe. It was known among the ladies in his society that Mikado is the irresistible solution to their loneliness, especially those who had an unhappy marriage. For a fee, one would have his undivided attention and charms that made her friends envy and drool. Wanting to savor the taste of victory even more, Ranma continued.

"Moreover, I heard that you are paid handsomely to keep Mrs Ayumi company with your delightful wits and looks. I 'm sure she is looking forward to you returning back to her side since her husband had left on a hunting trip and would not be back in two months time. Instead of wasting your time with his uncute and unsexy lady, why don't you take a trip back and settle with the more beautiful and wealthy ladies there?"

"Your description about Miss Akane is of no concern to me. In my eyes, she is a beautiful lady worthy of my lips. Never in my life have I seen someone so pure and innocent. She is like a rose in a desert, a rare beauty. You can rest assured that I would take great care not to let her slip through my fingers." Mikado said gravely.

The audience, including Nabiki, sighed at the romantic speech and the girls glared at Akane with utmost jealousy while the boys wished that they had that gift of words. Even Akane could not help but shiver at the possessiveness in the speech. Dr Tofu secretly scribed the words down. He hoped that someday he would have the courage to utter the words to a certain Tendo lady. Ranma tightened his grip on the staff. He had seen the effect of the words on Akane's face and he could almost feel the warmth of her face. He wondered whether Akane would look at him dreamily like that if he was the one who speak those words, not Mikado. Shaking the images that were threatening to overwhelm his mind, he spoke with cold civility.

"With such an excellent choice of words, I am no longer surprise at how easily ladies of high status and education are so willing to serve you regardless of the difference in status and background. I could see why Mrs Ayumi, a devoted wife, could throw herself at you. With such a reputation, I would not be astonished to find you crawling into this sleeping village for protection once the hunting season is over as I could visualize you being the prey of the wild hunting dogs once the gentlemen came to know about this affair. I think it is time that we part ways. It seems that you would need some time to search for suitable lodging as you are too used to fine houses in the city. I urged you to be quick about it as I know that you would find that the rooms are not really to your liking."

Mikado glared at Ranma and opened his mouth to retort but he could not find the words. Silently cursing, he turned to Akane and bowed to her, mustering every little dignity left inside him.

"I am sorry that we had to part in such an unfortunate way. I had a matter of utmost importance to see to. My beautiful lady, I would not forget what I had owed you. When the time is right, I will make my way back here and give you the kiss that you desired."

With that, Mikado turned to Ranma.

"I challenge you, Lord Ranma. Slandering me in front of this beautiful lady is something I would not tolerate. Prepare yourself." His eyes glint dangerously as he surged forward, catching Ranma off guard with a low punch on his stomach. Ranma grimaced in pain but he managed to dodge the upper kick. Narrowing his eyes, Mikado said,

"You are good, I must admit, to evade the kick. I underestimate you, my Lord. Now I would do let you have the privilege of witnessing the ultimate tactic, Whirlwind Dance. It is a combination of dance and kempo. Deadly and graceful. A move that suits my character"

Balancing on one leg, he spin around in an astonishing speed and lashed out punches to Ranma who was in close proximity. The public almost sympathized Ranma as bruises began to appear on his face but when they recalled his earlier civility towards them, they suppressed the it. Unknown to them, what they saw with an untrained eye was distorting the match. As she was a top student in kempo, Akane widened her eyes when she saw Ranma delivering punches at a faster speed and he was hitting Mikado at the vital points. She mentally counted the number of punches and reached 526 when Ranma landed into the tailor's shop. Asuza, who witnessed the fight, went up to the motionless Mikado and declared him the winner. The public clapped politely and some of the girls screamed his name. However Akane silenced them.

"You are mistaken. Ranma is the winner. Mikado had fainted halfway."

With that, Akane turned to Ranma, who was trying to stand, and grabbed his pigtail. Nodding to her sisters, she dragged him back to the dojo to be treated. Dr Tofu smiled. 'You would be a good wife for him, my dear Akane.' His thoughts were interrupted when Kasumi appeared within his view. In a second, the public dispersed, each one praying silently that he or she would be intact at the end of the day. Meanwhile, Asuza were wrapping Mikado with pieces of cloths and squealed at her artwork.

"Yeow, Can you please be gentler? Using brute force would not heal my bruises, it would only worsen them." Ranma yelled as Akane smacked his head.

"Is this what I get for tending to your wounds? Excuse me for not being gentle but I did not get a word of thanks when I start to treat your wounds. If I leave you behind, who know what shape you would be twisted to by Dr Tofu as he is 'talking' to Kasumi. I could not believe that you talk him into fighting with you. What is wrong with you? Your words are pretty harsh." Akane scolded

"Excuse me, you should look at the way you act. You appeared like a girl wanting to kiss Mikado so badly. You did not even struggle when he held you in his strong arms.

I did not know that you could easily get caught in such a situation" Ranma retorted.

Akane blushed and stammered a reply," I..I..I try to but he was really too strong. Besides, I am not the kind of girl who, as you put, so easily get caught in such a situation.

I was planning to punch him when you interrupted." She yelled.

Ranma glared at her. In a swift motion, he distracted her by poking her shoulder and with the other hand, he slide her underneath him on his lap. Akane was too surprised to counteract him and before she knew it, she was settled nicely on his lap. Ranma look down at her and growled,

"Look who is talking?"

He stared into her flushed face and the only thought he had in mind was how perfect she looked in his arm. He could not blame Mikado for wanting her as the same feelings consumed his entire being. He wished they had met under more favorable circumstances so that he would not hesitate to make her his wife. Fortunately, his rational thoughts began to creep back to his mind and comprehension dawned on him that they were in a very awkward position. Without any second thought he released Akane and she scrambled back to her original position.

Akane breathed in deeply as she tried to calm herself down. Her heart was beating at a maddening pace and she could not stop the blood from rushing to her cheeks when she thought about it. It amazed her that she did not try to struggle when Ranma took her in his arms. All she could do was to stare at his eyes and wait for only God knows what.

"I did not do that to kiss you. I just want to show you how helpless you are when you are in his arms even though you said that you want to punch his jaws. Besides why would I want to kiss a lady like you?" Ranma tried to act nonchalant but failed miserably.

"Of course, I would not expect a lord like you to kiss a commoner like me. Besides from your looks, you would not have the courage to kiss me. I bet all you ever did to a girl was to bow in greeting and then scarcely speak two words, 'Hello' and 'Goodbye', to the girl except for Ukyo." Akane retorted

"Is this a challenge, my lady?"

"Yes, I, Akane Tendo, challenged you to kiss me. By the look of your face, I am certain that I already won, my dear Lord Ranma." Akane answered without thinking twice.

Ranma looked at her, aghast. Did she just give him the permission to kiss her? He knew that he would not back down from a challenge as it was a matter of pride and honor. He tried to crush the sense of elation and nervousness that is building up but to know avail. He regarded her carefully. She looked defiant and her expression showed no hint of her backing down. He made his decision.

"Close your eyes, Akane."

Ranma inched towards her. Her eyes were shut tight but her angry expression remains. She looks like a goddess despite her expression. His lips slowly made their way towards her. And they touched her lips

Author's note: I guess I want to give the story a twist though. I know that Darcy and Liz did not go as far as RaAk did then again, I was quite disappointed when they were interrupted in the manga (I mean RaAk, not DarcyLiz). So here is another chapter. I hoe this one is long enough to convey my apology for not updating so frequently. Tell me what you think about this scene. If you feel uncomfortable with the change of scene, voice your thoughts about it. If there are enough reviews concerning it, I would consider revising the whole thing. By the way, I was thinking of writing a story (RaAk of course). The sypnosis is: Ranma, an assassin, was hired to kill a priestess. To do so, he would have to disguise himself as a servant and worked his way up to be her bodyguard. What he did not count on is how easily she captured his heart and soul. Moreover, it is forbidden. Reviews please. They would encourage me greatly..... Thank you.


	13. The power of a kiss

Disclaimer: Same as before.

Akane opened her eyes in surprise when she felt his lips on hers. Never in her whole would she have imagined Ranma to steal her first kiss. To him, she was an outcast of his society. He would have rather kiss an old woman rather than her whom he pronounced to the whole world as the uncute and unsexy tomboy. Her anger flashed initially when the thought of kissing her as though she was a prize crossed her mind. Other boys tried to do the same to her and this one would be no different. She expected him to give her a quick peck and then looked at her with a satisfied smirk. However, her expectation came crashing down when he grabbed her waist and gave no sign of indication that this kiss will end quickly. She gasped softly when Ranma showered her with heated kisses on her neck and his fervent lips were making her difficult to resist his attention. She tried to struggle but Ranma held her waist tightly and his lips were firmly pressed on her soft lips, demanding entry to the sweetness inside her mouth. When she tried to open her mouth in protest, he took the opportunity to let his tongue inside her mouth and savor the nectar. A blush crept up to her face when she felt his body against her yet she did not push him away. Instead, she shyly placed her hands around his neck and began to suck his tongue gently, eliciting a groan from him. A small voice whispered in her mind that this was what she wanted – what she dreamed of. She held him close to deepen their kiss and he responded to her desire by intensifying the heat between their mouths. Time has lost its meaning and before she could think about the embarrassing situation she's in, she was lost in the intimacy of his kisses and the last vestige of rational thought escaped silently from her mind.

Ranma was determined to get what had haunted him for the past 3 months since he met her. The visage of her face never ceases to disappear from his dreams and fantasies in the dead of the night. Her fragrance intoxicated his whole being. Her smile sent a warm flush that rush from his toes to his face. Her warm brown eyes caused his heart to beat at an infuriating rate. Her laughter was the sound of the purest musicto his ears. Her touch sent shivers of pleasure down his spine. Her playful spirit brought a smile to his cold unyielding heart. Never had he wanted a girl so much as Akane. He was taught by his father to be polite to the ladies but not respect and his mother to act gentlemanly in front of them. However, they hadnever taught him how to act in front of an angel. He felt so lost when she yelled at him and he acted like a lovesick boy when she smiled in his direction. When he held her close that night in his mansion, he could not bear to wash her scent away from him. Worse, it took him his entire will power to fight off the temptation to kiss her on the cheek. Now, he got to taste the softest lips that drove him mad with desire and her kiss was the sweeter than the finest wine that was ever made. He felt her indecisiveness when she attempt to struggle out of his arms but he would not let her go. When she suck his tongue, his heartbeat sped up as pleasure coursed through his veins and all he could do was to held her tighter and made himself drunk in the velvety softness of her mouth.

"Akane! Dinner Time" Kasumi's voice shattered the wall of intimacy between them and sent the two at the opposite ends of the dojo.

Akane tried to calm her heart which was beating wildly against her ribs and breathed in deeply. She could feel her face warming at an intense rate and her body was quivering with something more complex and passionate than desire alone. How could she have let Ranma take control over her and made her act like his lover? Not only does she feel no trace of disgust, her body actually yearned to be held in his strong muscular arms again. She shook her head to clear the horrible thoughts but her body would not answer her pleas. What would Ranma think of me now? First Mikado and now this. Now Kasumi's and Dr Tofu's future has become nonexistent and it all thanks to my selfish act. I could almost hear his thoughts now. He would now think of me as being a woman who craved for a man's attention and acted as though she was hard to catch. Knowing that the size of his brain is similar to that of an ant, I'm sure he would conclude that the whole Tendo ladies have the same character and he would drag Dr Tofu away from Kasumi. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She stole a glance at Ranma and quickly turned back towards the wooden wall as the longing came back with a vengeance. She desperately fought the desire of rushing into his arms and kisses him again. 'I could not believe that he would be so hot and irresistible.'

Ranma was facing the same situation as Akane. However his thoughts were way different from hers. He licked his lips unconsciously and savored the lingering taste on them. He had wanted this for so long and it stole his breath every time he inhaled her scent that remained on his clothes. His hands were aching to hold her and his body was desperate for her touch. He had kissed ladies on their hands and cheeks as a greeting but never on the lips before. From his peripheral vision, he could sense that Akane was having the same problem in controlling her body's reaction as him. He would gladly give his fortune away to what she was thinking of. He could not believe that a kiss from her would melt the stony and arrogant mask he wore to a silly grinning idiot. He rubbed his face viciously to ward off the heat that was rushing to his cheek but his lovesick grin still remained. Thoughts of love and passionthat were locked deep into his mind suddenly broke free from the mental prison and drowned him with poems and verses that were written to worship her. Ranma groaned inwardly, wishing he had never taken up the challenge. Now he would have to fought the desperate urges of holding her, kissing her and worshipping her. His thoughts trailed off and he began to dream of grabbing her hand and finding the nearest priest and get married. After they recited their marriage vows, he would pick her up in a bridal style and climbed into the most beautiful carriage driven by the fastest horses. They would make their way back to his home and he would carry her to his bedroom. He then carried her to his bed and she would look at him with those beautiful brown eyes and whispered, "I love you.". And then they would………

"Lord Ranma" a small voice penetrated his passionate thoughts. Ranma turned and found his face inches away from his angel. He could not look into her eyes at the moment. The desire roared inside him once again when he saw her lips. Her breath sent shivers of pleasure down his spine again. He wondered what would happen to them if Kasumi had not interrupted their kiss. He would gently lay her on the floor while he settled on top of her body and they would……It was almost impossible for him not to make his fantasy into a reality at this current moment.

"Kasumi called us for dinner while you were….um….well fulfilling your task. Would you like to stay for dinner? Of course I would not take offence if you turned down my invitation since it would be a simple meal and she was not really expecting you." Akane asked softly while studying the floor pattern with a sudden intense concentration and interest. She expected him to say no and walked away in a stoic manner. She did not expect him to say yes instead. Moreover, there was something different in his hoarse voice when he replied and her inner voice seem to whisper love and desire although she decided not to pursue it.

Kasumi was surprised to see two red faced people at the door but she regained her composure just enough to welcome her guest warmly and prepare his share. Soun bowed in greeting to his guest and apologized profusely for the simple meal but Ranma assured him that he would not mind. Nabiki looked at the two silent figures with an unseen smile when the whole family settled down for dinner lest Azusa since she was dinning with another family. The dinner started in a quiet manner but the silence was broken when Nabiki asked,

"What's wrong sis? It seems that you and Lord Ranma are going through great lengths to avoid making eye contact with each other. When both of you do, your faces will instantly flushed red. Miraculously, your faces flushed redder when your hands kind of accidentally brushed against each other when both of you reached out for the same dishes. Come to think of it, it seems that both of you always reach out for the same dish on purpose. What had happened to both of you in the dojo? You acted like two shy lovers."

"Definitely not. Acting like a lover with HIM."

"Why would I act like a lover WITH A TOMBOY?"

"Who are you calling a TOMBOY?"

"Look at the MIRROR. The answer is right in front of you."

"RANMA, you better take back your words or else."

"Or else what, TOMBOY"

"PERVERT"

"Who are you calling a PERVERT?"

"Can't you see a PERVERT starring back at you every time you look at the mirror?"

"I can't believe I kiss a tomboy."

"I can't believe I let a pervert kiss me"

"WHAT!" The whole family suddenly surged forward to the unsuspecting couple.

Soun looked at them with watery eyes as happy thoughts of having two daughters being married clouded his mind. He held Ranma's hand and said,"You must take good care of her. Do not let me down. I hope she would bear a child soon. I always wanted to carry a grandchild."

Kasumi gave them her everlasting smile and sighed, "Isn't that sweet even though it is a bit improper for both of you to conduct in such a manner given your status?"

Nabiki began to calculate the fortune both her sister would bring to the family and what she would do with it." Akane, since your status and fortune would be elevated soon, I hope you would remember to buy the pearl I long for as my birthday present. Do not worry if you forget, I would remind you."

Both Ranma and Akane stared at them, shocked beyond words. They did not expect the reactions they received from the incident. Akane recovered first to yell at the,

"MARRIED TO THE PERVERT? WHAT WERE ALL OF YOU THINKING OF? I can't believe that you are my family."

"STOP CALLING ME A PERVERT, TOMBOY" The insult seems to snap Ranma out of daze.

"PERVERT"

"TOMBOY"

Author's note: Finally. I finish this at 2am in the morning. Yawn….My new story Forbidden Heart is up and thanks to the reviews. They are very encouraging. I am now starting on the 1st chapter of FH and soon I will start off a new chapter of Pride. I hope it is not too waffy as this is my first attempt to write a waffy scene. Pls tell me what you think of it in your reviews. If my waffy piece is acceptable with you, I may add more of these scenes to spice it up. Besides I know these characters are OCC from Ranma ½ and Pride and Prejudice but I prefer if they show their feelings right from the start than to keep the readers guessing whether they are attracted to the other party or not…………….Reviews please.


	14. Flowers and a proposal

He strolled along the garden path with a confident smile on his face. The time had come for his fiery angel to officially be his wife. He was absolutely sure that she would leap in his arms and kiss him fervently when he proposed to her. She had been playing hide-and-seek with him ever since his arrival, thinking that he would not notice her wondrous presence. He would find her for sure. Even the gods blessed him with a beautiful cool morning to make his proposal. He was certain that nothing would stand between him and Akane.

As he turned round a bend, he found his beautiful goddess holding a blue carnation and staring dreamily at it. The water shimmered behind her as the rays of the magnificent sun shone on the pond. A cool breeze blew gently across her face as she inhaled the fragrance of the flower. He stood rooted on the ground, breathless. Even the mirages in his dreams could not capture the splendor of the scene in front of him. No words in his vocabulary could express the beauty of it. This was a perfect setting for the most important moment of his life. He confidently swaggered to her. This time, for sure, everything will be fine.

Carnation was her mother's favorite flower. Every time she saw a carnation in bloom, a tear escaped from her eyes. Although the time she spent with her mother was short, Akane treasured the brief but wonderful moments. Aside from the picture in the altar, the flower is the only key to unlock the beautiful memories in her heart.

Even though Nabiki would not admit it, Akane swore that she saw a vase of blue carnations in her room. When she was angry or upset, Nabiki would stare at the flowers and whispered softly to them. Akane even witnessed a quarrel between Nabiki and a customer over the last stalk of carnation during their mother's death anniversary and had to use almost all her strength to pull her sister back before she killed the customer with a mallet.

Kasumi would keep a pot of carnations in the kitchen. Every morning she would give the vase a beautiful smile in greeting to the flowers. Beneath the beautiful smile, there was sadness and worry that she may not be able to fulfill the role of a surrogate mother to her younger sisters. However, the beautiful flowers seemed to reassure her that every thing would be okay and erased the burden and negative thoughts she carried in her heart.

To Soun, a fresh carnation should be placed in the vase that was next to her picture every day. He would take a stroll to the pond in the morning and pluck out the most beautiful flower he could find and placed it in the blue miniature china vase. This had became a morning ritual for him. If the flowers are not in bloom, he would rush to the nearest shop or town to buy a few stalks.

The sound of footsteps woke Akane from her reverie. Seeing Kuno standing in front of her with an arrogant smile, she groaned inwardly. She had gone through great lengths to avoid him, as she did not want to hear the flowery, insincere sonnets that flow smoothly from his mouth. She had an important matter regarding a certain pigtailed, idiotic lord that she needed to discuss with her heart.

Akane sighed. Right now, she needed her mother's wisdom and love to stop the conflicts within her heart. Pushing her thoughts aside, she stood up and faced Kuno. He seems different from his usual self and Akane could not help but dread silently when he gave her a predatory smile.

Having caught her attention, Kuno began his speech of love with an air of arrogance.

"My darling, It has been a long time since the gods had grant us such a romantic morning like this. We would not waste such a precious moment like this. Akane Tendo, my angelic beautiful cousin, it is time that we should proclaim our love to each other. I love you, Akane Tendo, and I want you to be my wife. You are the key to my heart. You are the spark that fuels my fire of passion. You are the wine that quenches my thirst for love. Fear not, my angel. I had taken the liberty to ask your father for your hand in marriage before I came to find you. He left me with no doubt that he would not oppose this reunion as his eyes were filled with tears of happiness. Since we get such a favorable answer from your father, we should make haste and wed soon, my love. I would…… "

"Kuno. I think I had heard enough. HOW DARE YOU ASK MY FATHER FOR MY HAND BEFORE YOU ASK ME! For your information, this decision concerns me, not my father. Regardless of what my father say to you, I would have my final say in this decision. My answer is NO. Kuno, I do not share the same feelings and passion as you. You cannot give me the happiness I am searching for. We can only become friends if we tried. That would be the distance our relationship would go. It cannot go beyond the boundary because our thoughts and personalities clash and we would be miserable for the rest of our lives. I can say it with all my heart that you are not the right one for me."

Akane stared at the ground. She did not mean it to be so harsh but if she was not direct, Kuno would never take the hint and leave her alone. She could accept him as a friend and relative but she would definitely not consider him as a potential suitor. If only he was not so dense, she would not have to break his heart in this manner. After what sees to be eternity to her, she finally hears his deep solemn voice.

"I understand. I apologize for my recklessness regarding such a serious matter. I have disregarded your feelings in such an inconsiderate manner. Although it pains my heart to its very depths, I would release you from my infatuation."

With that, Kuno walked off in the footsteps of a broken man.

"WHAT? You are going to marry him? You only know him for a month and both of you just acknowledge each other's presence a couple of days ago. Are you sure about this?"

Akane screamed. She could not believe this. She always thought that Nabiki would be a reasonable lady when it comes to love. Although fortune is her top priority, Nabiki did make it clear that she would earn it through her efforts and intelligence. She could not have married Kuno just because he is a man of wealth and status. Her father was busy celebrating the engagement with his future son-in-law. Kuno seemed to regain some of his confidence and pride back after the incident.

"I am very happy for both of you. Although it is quite a rush, both of you will make a lovely couple. I know it from the very start that you and Kuno are destined from each other. When both of you are still toddlers, the two of you are inseparable. Kuno always defend you when the boys bully you. He brought you flowers everyday. I still remember the time when he was unable to get you a flower from his home so he made a paper one for you. Isn't it sweet? Besides, even though distance set you apart, love binds your hearts together. Please do not protest Nabiki. Both of you have been corresponding through letters ever since Kuno had moved." Kasumi sighed.

"My dearest sisters, this is only an engagement. Please do not get so worked up or sentimental over it. Although I did agree to his proposal, I could also reject him if things do not work for us. Akane, I know that you are worried that I agree on impulse. It does seem strange that he would propose to me a week later after you reject him but I have no intention of questioning him for that. Besides, he spent most of his time by my side since you are constantly avoiding him so we do know each other quite well. I admit that I do have a soft spot for dear little Tate-chan since we were young although I always bashed him up with his wooden sword. Another reason why I agree to marry him is that he treats me like an equal and not some prize catch. He would act brave and charming in front of a pretty lady but when we are together, he dropped his pretentious act and become a man who is strong yet vulnerable at the same time. He even confides in me his secrets and would offer me his protection whenever I made a trip. I think that is enough to remove your doubts about him, Akane. However we agreed not to get married until we settled yours, Sis Kasumi."

Nabiki gave Kasumi a rare sisterly smile. Secretly, her top priority is both her sister's happiness and she really hope that Kasumi would realize her true feelings regarding a certain doctor. Her smile disappeared when she saw Kasumi's smile falter. What happened? Her worst fears were confirmed when Kasumi try to reply in a cheerful voice.

"Dr Tofu and his companions left this morning. They did not drop us a message or left any forwarding address. I afraid that we may no longer be in contact with them."

Author's note: I thank you once again for the reviews. The story is getting longer than I anticipated but regardless of school and time, I am planning to finish this story and Forbidden Heart because I had been planning them for months. Frankly speaking, I like to explore more on RA relationship but then I can't really left out the others. Next chapter I hope I can bring Catherine de Bourgh charater into the picture. I am also thinking of re-editing the chapters so you will have a clearer picture of what is going on. I do not have any beta readers so perhapes one of you can volunteer. The only payment I could affordis that you get to read my story first. Heehee. If you are interested, please drop me an email at this address Reviews please.


	15. Rumors and Jokes

The ballroom was brightly lit with scented candles specially imported from China. The intoxicating scent mingled with the aroma of the fine array of dishes prepared by the town's finest chefs, creating a heavenly smell. The slow but sensual music played by the orchestra seduced the audience, luring them to slide through the ballroom with their partner and move to the music. Soothed by the sound of harps and violins, the guests relaxed and began to enjoy the fragile but enchanted moment.

The host, a nobleman who recently inherited a large fortune from his late uncle, kept the guests entertained with small talks and jokes as he tried to evade the flirting ladies and their eager mothers. He was pleased with the settings of the ballroom and how the evening progressed. With such powerful members of the society as his guests, he could not afford to fail his duty as a host. He knew that these people demand nothing but the best and he must, as a member of this elite group, provide them with the best the country could offer.

As he swirled his glass of wine absentmindedly, images of a certain lady crept into his mind and stirred the emotions in him. The image had haunted him countless times since he left. The warm brown eyes. The angelic face. The soft, inviting lips. A masterpiece that no artist could ever laid their eyes on. If only she belong to this powerful circle, he would not be in such a difficult situation. They belonged to two different levels of the society hierarchy. His eyebrows narrowed. Proclaiming his love to her would mean condemning both of them in front of all these people. Is she really worth the trouble? He already knew the answer. He focused back to the ballroom. The young ladies had spotted him and were now making their way towards him. It's time to escape.

As the host silently made his way through the crowded dinning hall, a tall handsome man intercepted him. He grinned when he saw the irritated look on the host's face.

"I have no wish to converse with you right now. Please step aside."

"Are you sure you want me to step aside? Tsk, tsk. What a rude host you are. I'm sure you would quietly drag your feet to me and look at me with pleading eyes when you are about to hear what I am going to say."

"Your subject would be of no interest to me, I can assure you. Now step aside"

The host gently but forcefully pushed the man aside. He was beginning to make his way to the other side of the room when he heard his phantom lover's name.

"Even if the subject is Miss Tendo Akane?"

In an instant, he appeared in front of the man and looked at him with intense concentration.

"You had my full attention Ryouga. Speak."

"If this is what it takes to hold your attention, the dean of our university would be more than happy to hire her as your lecturer for every subject you take. This may happen provided that you really do pay attention to the subject and not drooling at her. If you lose focus, she can bring out her mallet and smash you on the spot. Are you listening to me?"

'If she is my lecturer, I would be a real teacher's pet. We could see each other every day. I can use the excuse of having difficulties in my studies to be close to her. I would bring flowers to her every day. The boys would envy me for having such a close relationship with her. Waitaminute. If she is my lecturer, we cannot be lovers. The society condemned such relationships. I can't afford to put her in trouble. What should I do? Ouch!'

Ranma rubbed clutched his stomach. He threw a glare at his grinning friend and hissed.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Your mind had wandered of again. What are you thinking of? Hmm…You looked so dreamily all of a sudden. Don't tell me that you are already fantasizing about Miss Tendo as your lecturer. Ha. No wonder she always call you a pervert."

He laughed softly as Ranma tried to protest.

"Actually I don't mind if Akane is a lecturer in our university. If I did not have Akari, I would definitely ask for her hand in marriage. Maybe I should break this engagement right now and quickly make my way to Nerima and propose to her. "

Ranma growled. He had carelessly let down his guard. He would not allow any one to ridicule him.

"Go ahead and ask. It is not like I care for her anyway. That stupid tomboy nature of hers is definitely not what I want as my future wife. Who would want to marry such an uncute and unsexy tomboy like her?"

"I would. And I am serious about it. It is too bad that you do not appreciate her at all. Miss Tendo has a fiery spirit in her and she is not pretentious unlike the ladies in our circle. Despite her upbringing, she had proven herself to be, by far, one of the most stunning ladies I ever met. She is truly an angel sent from above. Besides, I am sure that every man who looks at her would agree with me wholeheartedly except you. She feels so vulnerable in my arms when we danced during the ball. Sigh! If only I was not engaged to Akari."

"In your dreams, pal. Your engagement is arranged by the heads of both sides. To break the engagement is to dishonor your whole family. Besides, I am quite sick of this conversation. If you call me here just to listen to your crazy fantasies, I am not interesting in lending you a listening ear. Enjoy the evening."

As Ranma turned to leave, Ryouga caught his arm.

"All right, I will cast these jokes aside for now. Actually I want to confirm with you a rumor that I have heard during my return to Nerima. As you know, I made my way back a few days ago for business and what I had heard was indeed a real surprise to me. It seems that Takewaki Kuno, the head of the Kuno family, had proposed to a certain Tendo sister and she had accepted. The whole family had left Nerima to visit his house in Furinkan. My aides have told me that Kuno has been infatuated with the youngest Tendo since his arrival. I thought that you might have heard the news so I am hoping that you would fill me in the missing details."

Ryouga kept quiet, hoping to hear what the young Saotome had to say. After a full five minutes of silence, he looked closely at his friend once more but he received no response in return. Furious, he hit Ranma's tender spot again.

"Ranma, can you answer me right now?"

'Kuno…Getting married to a Tendo sister…Akane…accept his proposal…Akane and Kuno are getting married…I thought Akane hate him…There is no love between them…What happened when I left Nerima…When did she develop feelings for him…What did she see in Kuno that she loves…Am I worse than Kuno…That uncute tomboy would never love him…It is a rumor…but…what if it is true…'

"Ran…MA"

Ryouga hit him once more. Ranma yelped in pain and punched him back.

"I don't know. I did not hear anything about this since I left. Anyway I got an important matter to look into so please excuse me."

Ranma turned and walked off angrily. Ryouga followed him, enjoying himself immensely at his friend's expenses.

"How about your party? You can't leave the guests here."

"I am not leaving. I am the host, remember? I need to entertain other guests, not only you."

Ryouga smiled.

"You mean other 'guests' by the name of Takewaki Kuno and Tendo Akane? Sure."

Ranma gritted his teeth angrily.

"Who cares about the uncute, unsexy, violent tomboy? I was thinking of striking a conversation with Lord Wilbur. He is an important guest and I have yet to talk to him."

"If that is the case, why are we heading towards the stables? Surely Lord Wilbur would be in the ballroom helping himself to the food on the dinning table and not hay in the stable."

"I just remember I have not seen my aunt for a long time. I am just thinking of paying a visit to my aunt right now."

" Such a filial nephew. I thought you hate your aunt and her daughter. You have been complaining about them ever since the old woman decided on your fate."

"Shut up."

Ranma untied the horse's reins and gracefully hopped onto its back with ease. As he prepared to make his way out, he heard the sounds of galloping and shot an irritated look to the rider of other horse.

"Who ask you to tag along?"

"Thought you might need some company. I would love to see Miss Akane again. Of course, I will be there to console her as you going to send her betrothed to his grave."

Ranma gripped the reins tightly. This would be one crazy journey for him. He left an important party unattended and rode off like a madman without a change of clothes just because of a particular Tendo lady.

"I am just going to stop by Kuno's house for a while to congratulate him before meeting my aunt."

"You mean going to Kuno's backyard and dig a grave for him? Oh boy, I can't wait to see the confrontation between you and Kuno. Once both of you are exhausted from the fight, I just step in, pick up Akane and elope with her. What a magnificent ending."

"Shut up. I told you I am just going to send my heartfelt congratulations to Kuno."

He cracked his whip, causing the horse to gallop at a faster speed.

'I am going to kill you, Kuno'

The next day……

Akane stomped angrily into the guest room. She could not believe that Kuno would make such an outrageous proposal to her right in front of her family members. She was not entirely convinced that Kuno would give up on her that easily when she rejected him. After she observed his subdued behavior and listened to Nabiki's speech, she began to treat him a little nicely since he was Nabiki's betrothed. However, a few days later after the announcement of their engagement, he broke out of his reverie with a laugh and sped off to find her. Right in front of her family, Kuno got down on one knee and held Akane's hand. In an arrogant voice, he told her that he would accept her as his mistress and all three of them would live happily ever after in his mansion. On the same evening, he laid comatose right after he delivered his speech.

The second Tendo daughter out down the antique vase and looked at her enraged young sister.

"What happened, Akane? Did Kuno upset you again?"

"Sister, you say Kuno devoted himself entirely to you and both of you love each other. If that's the case, why is he still declaring his love for me?"

"I don't know, sis. I guess old habits would never go away. Hmm… I wonder how much this cost. I think I can earn quite a huge profit from this."

Akane stared at Nabiki wide-eyed. How could Nabiki stayed so calm after all this? Doubts began to resurface once again.

"Sis, will you be happy marrying him? I know he has a large fortune and such but can he give you happiness?"

Nabiki turned to Akane. She tried hard to look emotionless but Akane's worried face was just too much for her. Unable to contain herself, she burst out laughing.

"You think I seriously consider marrying the dope? I thought you knew it was a joke right from the start. Actually, it did not cross my mind that Kuno was serious about it. To tell you the truth, I was relieved when Kuno became obsessed with you once again. When I said yes to his proposal, I thought he was just joking. I did not realize that he was serious until he asked for Father permission much later. At that time, I did not know how to break the engagement so I thought I am doomed. I did not want you to worry so I told you I loved him. At least for now, I have a good reason to break this engagement."

"B-but, what would Father think? It would break his heart when he heard this. Nabiki, you have created such a mess. Does Kasumi know too?"

"I confided in her after you hit him senseless. She was not happy with me but she told me she would support my decision since this concerns my future. Look at the bright side, sis. At least we could travel around without having to pay a single cent. Not to mention free food and free lodging. Seriously, Kasumi looked so down after the three left us. I could not blame her for it. They left without a word or reason. I thought Dr. Tofu would be sensible enough to leave us a message or something. I thought this trip could cheer her up. It does seem to have a soothing and calming effect on her. Ever since she came here, she was busily tending the garden and helping out. At least, she can put her worries aside for the time being"

Akane fumed. She suddenly felt sorry for Kuno. He was constantly being manipulated by Nabiki and yet, on a few occasions, he treated her like a queen. Besides, she agrred with what Nabiki had said. Although Kasumi still put on a smile most of the time, it was different from the usual smile she wore. It pained Akane to see her sister so distressed. As she began to walk away from the room, she heard Nabiki call her in an amused.

"Akane, we have company. Seems like a certain pigtailed lord and his fanged companion is heading towards us. I don't think the pigtailed lord is here to visit Kuno. Maybe he would tell us why they left without a word."

Author's note…Another chapter. I hope it will answer some of the questions of why Nabiki accept Kuno's proposal. If there is no proposal, there is no trip to Lady De Bourgh. Before I forget, some of you may be wondering what happen to Mikado. I will try to answer that in the next chapter. I know that Mikado's character plays a huge part in the book but my style is to fuse Ranma ½ and PP into one romantic RA love story with Ranma and Akane dominating most of the story. Maybe for some of you, it is not romantic enough for you. So readers, I hope you help me in this. Rate the romance factor of RA on the scale of 10. You may want to submit more than one rating for certain chapters or you can submit for the overall story. I need to know how romantic this story in and decide whether I should make it more waffy or not. Reviews, reviews, reviews…I need motivation.


	16. Truth and Fiancee

Ranma stood in front of the mahogany door tensely. He did not know what madness could have brought him into the Furinkan grounds unannounced. Worse, his evening coat was stained with mud when his horse galloped across the muddy land in an attempt to arrive at their destination in the shortest time possible. He cursed himself for not bringing a cloak to protect his expensive evening coat.

Ryouga came up next to him smugly and brushed off the few grains of sand that landed on his surprisingly clean clothes. Folding his brown cloak carefully, he cleared his throat and straightened up his tie.

"My, my. We did reach here pretty early, Lord Saotome. Do I look presentable now? I do not dare to announce my presence here if my attire is soiled. It would be so unbecoming of me." Ryouga said breezily.

"Don't you dare to irate me, Hibiki. I had no wish to start a conversation with you right now." Ranma growled.

The suspense and the long journey had shortened his temper considerably and Ryouga's dashing image was not helping either. He raised his fist, ready to pound on the solid door but something held him back. A thousand of questions screamed in his head – questions which he did not even consider when he exited the ballroom.

Could he handle the terrible truth once it is spat out at his face? Could he mumble the word 'congratulations' when he saw Akane in Kuno's arms? Could he stand indifferently at one corner and watch Akane throwing loving glances at Kuno each time the idiotic poet looked away? Could he prevent the tears from falling when Akane gave Kuno a loving kiss – a kiss that was only meant for him?

Ranma had no answers. Even though it was just a rumor, he could not bear the pain. He gave a bitter laugh. He, Saotome Ranma, was the greatest martial artist and he could handle any physical pain inflicted on him. He was also the most sought after bachelor in the country and had thousand of ladies who are willingly to be his. He had the power and status that most men would kill to obtain. Yet a small rumor regarding a middle status lady could drive him insane and bring about unbearable pain to his heart.

A visage of Akane holding hands with Kuno greeting him at the door was enough to make him sick.

An image of Akane in a wedding dress walking down the aisle towards Kuno would haunt him in his sleep for the rest of his days.

A portrait of Akane and Kuno and their little ones would…

"Ranma, are we going in or not? You wanted to come here so desperately last night that you left your gathering unattended. Now that we are here, you just seem contended standing here and glaring at the door. The door would not turn into ashes, my friend. You must knock it." Ryouga sighed.

He tried to put on a frustrated expression but Ranma's depressing face was enough to scare his frown away. He knew that Ranma was attracted to Akane but he did not realize that Ranma's feelings would run that deep. He was glad that he had asked the stable boy to lead their horses to the stables. Under such circumstances, he was sure that Ranma would play with the thought of ramming the door with his horse and kidnap Akane.

After a long moment of silence, Ranma still did not make any indication to knock the door. Ryouga shrugged his shoulders slightly and decided to take on this simple task. As he raised his fist to knock it, the door was flung open.

There stood Akane in her summer dress. Her cheeks were flushed from running down the flight of stairs. Her warm brown eyes were twinkling with excitement and anxiety as she looked at the two travelers. The breeze chose this moment to gently caress her hair and complete the masterpiece before the eyes of the two young gentlemen.

"M-Ms Akane, good morning." Ryouga stammered as he felt his face glow red. He woodenly raised his hand up in an attempt to greet her.

"Lord Ryouga! What a surprise! It has been a long time since we met each other. I really miss the good times that we had in Nerima. It has been rather boring lately without a friend to converse to."

Akane smiled warmly. Although he could be painfully shy at certain times, he was a knowledgeable person and an avid reader. Once he get pass his shyness, he would tell her interesting things about his travels and held her enthralled throughout the whole conversation. As she turned to the person beside him, her smile faltered and her cheeks blushed faintly with embarrassment.

"…." Ranma could only stare at her. His eyes were desperately seeking assurance that his fears were unfounded. He tried to appear nonchalant but failed miserably when Akane turned to him.

'What is the jerk doing here? After disappearing for weeks, he just appeared right in front of my eyes when I least expected. Where is Dr Tofu? Is Ranma responsible for his absence? He must be…That jerk. I'm certain that he makes his appearance here to see our pitiful state and laugh at us in front of Lord Ryouga.'

Akane subconsciously clenched her fists and glared at Ranma. From her past acquaintance with him, she was so sure that the arrogant lord would not turn up unannounced unless it was something of great importance to him. Although she had no idea what could have sent both of them here, she had this feeling that this matter was somehow related to their doctor friend.

"Ah! Lord Hibiki and Saotome. What a great pleasure to have both of you here in my humble abode at this time of the day. I have seen that my stable boy had already leaded your fine stallions to the stable. May I enquire what is it so important that could have brought you to my elegant haven doorsteps so early?"

Kuno appeared behind Akane, his bearing proud and dignified. The sight of Ranma's clothes caused a small frown to appear on Kuno's face but he decided not to offend the lord in front of him.

Akane looked away with embarrassment. It would be too humiliating to bear if Kuno could see the contempt Lord Ranma had for her family. Although she disliked him, she felt guilty about his association with her family as this would lower the Kuno reputation and status in the eyes of the powerful nobles-

Particularly the young pigtailed lord.

Ranma witnessed the change of expressions on Akane when Kuno appeared and he felt numb.

'It can't be… The rumor is true? She must be angry with me because I took advantage of her back in Nerima. But she had responded to my kiss…This can't be right. If she is not angry with this, why she suddenly become so demure when Kuno appear? I mean ladies are supposed to act demure around their fiancé or husbands but this tomboy would not know the meaning of demure. Look Ranma, she acting like a shy lady in front of Kuno. So this means that…'

His head started to spin. He could not accept this.

He definitely could not accept this.

All he wanted to do now was to fall onto his knees and beg her to stay by his side and not Kuno. He wanted to see her giving him the same warm smile that she had, not the anger and hurt that reflect in her eyes.

But he could not. He's Lord Ranma Saotome. He could not disgrace himself in the presence of his friends and, particularly, Kuno.

Ranma stepped forward, ignoring the questioning and concerned look that his friend gave him.

"Mr Kuno, we had traveled all the way here from the Saotome residence without rest. Our horses were worn out from the journey so we were hoping that you could extend your generosity to us weary travelers. If by chance we had intruded your personal space, please accept our apology. We would collect our horses and make our way out." Ranma said in an emotionless tone.

Ryouga smiled apologetically. He knew what his friend was thinking but he did not expect Ranma to stay. Even if their horses were tired, he was so sure that Ranma would rather stay in an inexpensive inn than to be here.

'At least I will get to spend some time with Ms Akane.'

With a hearty laugh, Kuno proudly invited them to his haven. He quickly ordered the guest rooms to be ready and fresh clothes to be brought to the tired gentlemen. With such powerful nobles as his guests, he could not afford to give them less than they deserved. Moreover, his patroness's nephew had requested to stay here.

Not wanting to see Ranma, Akane announced that she would like to do a little sightseeing and excused herself. She was surprised when Ryouga stammered that he would be glad to accompany her for a walk in the woods. Akane insisted that he would need to rest after a long journey but Ryouga just smiled and offered his arm. Failing to persuade him, she finally relented and the two of them set off to the woods. Unknown to Akane, Ryouga's friend was eyeing at them with intense jealousy, particularly their linked arms.

………

Nature never ceases to amaze Akane. The oak trees stood tall and proud on either side of the path and silently welcome the two people into their territory. The sun ray filter through the canopy of trees to illuminate their path and the insects buzzed curiously at the newcomers. All this seems to have a calming effect on Akane and she threw aside her worries temporarily.

Ryouga was contended to remain silent. The questions could come later.

"Having a wonderful time together, Miss Akane and Lord Ryouga?"

Ryouga cringed as he heard his name being emphasized by the intruder. He turned to attack the intruder but Ranma was too quick for him. With an upper kick, he set Ryouga back to the front gate.

"What is it this time Lord Ranma? You had already ruined my whole family. You are courageous enough to irate me with your presence."

Akane screamed.

She wanted to slap him but she did not have the energy to do so. The last three months had taken a toll on her as she tried to handle the mess that her family was in. After Ranma and his companions left without a word, rumors started to circulate round the town people that the Tendo ladies were not good enough for Dr Tofu. It was deemed obvious to the people that Dr Tofu had chosen Kasumi. However, no one had expected that Kasumi would be 'jilted' by Dr Tofu as she was by far the sweetest and prettiest lady in the town. Some of the vain ladies even suggested that Kasumi was not a 'pure' maiden to begin with and had lost the right to become his bride.

She started to walk off but Ranma caught hold of her arm.

"You are not going anywhere, my lady? There are a few questions that interest me greatly and only you have the answers to them." He stated in a cold voice.

"Sorry, my lord. My knowledge is considered limited as compared to yours. If you do not know the answers, then I fear that I do not know them too. Please ask someone whom you fit your definition of 'wise' and 'intelligent'."

She tried to struggle but Ranma had no intention of letting her go. He caught hold of her other arms as Akane tried to hit him. He knew that his actions were irrational and bold. But the fear of losing her overwhelmed him and forced him to leave the house hurriedly after a change of clothes to search for her.

Frustrated, Akane tried to kick his stomach but in the process she lost her momentum. They both fell on the soft ground with Ranma on top of her. He took the opportunity to pin her down and tried to ignore the sensations that streaked through him as he pressed his body against hers.

"Question number one, why do you receive me with such cold civility at the doorstep?"

"I am not answering that. Get off me, you p-pervert."

"Unless you answer my questions, I would not. We can stay in this position as long as you want, my lady. Ryouga is too dizzy to come and save you judging from the blow he received. We are alone in the woods and no one would disturb us. Please answer."

"Simple. I hate you. You tear Kasumi and Dr Tofu apart and leave Nerima without a word. Perhaps you are too blind to see that Kasumi and Dr Tofu are meant for each other."

"What makes you think that they are in love with one another? There is no such thing as 'love at first sight'. They met a few times only. Maybe it could be infatuation or something like that."

"Don't you dare to insult my sister's feelings. You do not know her well enough to make your own judgment about her."

Akane struggled but Ranma held her firmly to the ground. He summoned all his courage to say the words out for his next question. He tried to open his mouth to speak but words failed him. He wanted to know the answer but he was too scared to face the truth.

Akane stared accusingly at Ranma but her expression changed when she saw the conflicting emotions on his face. Did she hurt him with her words? She was mesmerized by the stormy blue eyes that were looking down at her

"Question two, a-are you e-engaged to Kuno?"

"Wh-what! Who tell you that I am engaged to the poetic idiot? He and I can never be together. This is absurd. Absolutely absurd."

"Are you sure?"

"I am sure. Besides, it does not matter whether you believe it or not."

"Why should I be? Who would want to marry someone like you?"

"RANMA"

"I have not finished."

"What do you want now?"

Ranma told a deep breath.

"Can you act as my fiancée during my stay here?"

Note: I'm terribly sorry for the late piece. My workload has increased (same lame old excuse). I've printed all the chapters of P&P and FH and I intended to do a rewrite to fixed the errors and the confusion. If possible I will try to answer the reviews you have posted. Thanks for your patience and understanding. The holidays are around the corner so……I would post up the next chapter fast. Reviews please……


	17. Marriage, Rejection and Relatives

Sorry for the delay. I am too caught with my work since I am entering university soon. To all my readers, thanks for your support and reviews.I have decided to post myfirst draft after having so many reviews. I will be revising it soon but this will let you have a taste of what's going on. Besides

* * *

Sapphire eyes stared deeply into the chocolate eyes. 

"Marry me." He whispered.

He had said it. The deepest desire in his heart was finally revealed. Saotome Ranma, the wild untamed horse that everyone respected and feared, had finally succumbed to the temptation and beauty of the lady before him. He never knew when, where or why he had developed such intimate feelings about her. It was one of the surprises that love have in store for him.

She never ceased to amaze him with her wits, not to mention her sarcasm. She was the first to treat him as her equal and not as a piece of gold plated horse meat that most ladies wanted him to be. Her beauty was not only shown in her appearance but also in her character. He could not specifically determine what he like about her. The only thing he was certain was that he love her as a whole, not just her appearance.

It was true that her family connections are questionable. Marrying her would result in exposing his wealth and glory to the scrupulous hands of her family, particularly the middle sister, and her relatives. His future generation would forever be 'tainted' by the blood of a commoner and the noble lineage that he was so proud of would be broken.

But he could not imagine what life would be like without her. He could not describe the feeling that overwhelmed him when he first heard of the engagement between Kuno and Akane. It scared him for the first time as he did not know that he was capable of experiencing such pain and loneliness that seared right through his heart. Why, in God's name, must it be this lady before him?

It was decided.

He would accept his cruel fate

He would bear the consequences. He would forgo all the rules and principles that he held dear. He would suffer the humiliation that he brought upon himself.

_Just to have you, Akane. _

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Marry me"

It was not a question.

It was a command. A simple command from the most eligible bachelor that would cause many ladies to faint from sheer joy was given to her. But she was different from most of the ladies.

The feeling she had was indescribable. It was neither joy nor anger. The only word she can think of to describe part of the overwhelming emotionswas confusion. She searched his eyes for answers but there were none. She could never understand the aloof and elusive figure right before her eyes. When did he ever oncereveal his soul once to her? His emotions changed so quickly that she could never know what he was thinking

He had already played with her heart not once but many times mercilessly. Every second she spent with him reminded her of the elusive happiness that would never be granted to her and her family. She thought that power and status would not stand in the way of love but the recent events had crushed her beliefs. The gods had proven to her that her beliefswere merely fallaciesby playing with Kasumi's feelings over and over again.

What did he see in her that captivated his heart? She had only one or two thousand pounds in her name and she had a family with, as the nobles graciously called, lowly connections. Marrying a powerful man would put his family to shame and humiliation. They were of two different worlds not only in status but in their characters too. They could not spend a day with each other without arguing over the slightest things. Moreover, she was too caught up with Kasumi's affairs that she had never once glanced in his direction.

However the recent events had left her questioning her feelings for this mysterious man. His sudden appearance in Kuno's mansion, the haunted look in his eyes when he questioned her dubious 'engagement' with Kuno,

And the passionate kiss they shared in the dojo.

She needed his answer desperately.

"Why?"

_Please say that you need me, that you want me and you accept me for who I am and not how I look._

………………………………………………………………………………………………

_Because I love you_

"Because I…I had this feeling that my aunt, Lady de Bourgh would be arriving soon with her two daughters and she would try to persuade me to marry one of them as soon as possible. Of course her two daughters are far more skillful and prettier than you, not to mention that they are in the same standing as me in terms of power and status. But I am not prepared to settle down yet.

Therefore, I need you to take up the role as my fiancé during my stay here so that the old witch would leave me alone. I have considered asking Miss Kasumi and Miss Nabiki but their characters do not fit the role perfectly. Miss Kasumi is too kind-hearted to lie to an old lady. Miss Nabiki would take advantage of my dilemma to earn a fortune. Thus, you are the only one available although I have to admit you are not the lady that I want to m-marry. Don't be so happy that a fine young man like me would want to marry such an uncute and sexless girl like you"

_What, in heaven's name, have I done? _

_This is not what I mean, Akane. _

_Please believe me. _

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Meanwhile…

Kuno bowed lowly before the guests.

"Such honor bestowed to us by your visit is greatly appreciated and envied by others. May I know what brings you here, my lady?"

The lady crackled and hit Kuno with her staff. Her two daughters sniffed disinterestedly at the flowery speech and could not help but proudly laughed when Kuno fell onto the floor unconscious.

"Such flattery would get you nowhere. Merely visiting you does not justify my appearance to your humble abode. If I want you in my presence, I could just send a footman with a message to fetch you. Moreover, I could not let my two precious flowers to appear in the presence of the unruly common folks. Such rare beauty should stay indoors and only appear in the presence of gentlemen and ladies of same footing."

The Tendo family, who were sitting in the hall, tried not to bristle in anger at her description of them. Nabiki narrowed her eyes slightly. She did not have the slightest intention of associating herself with such people who characterized her family as uncivilized barbarians.

She looked at the two daughters who were standing haughtily at the doorway behind their mother and smiled coldly.

_Such insolent ladies. I should have expected such arrogance since they are Lord Ranma's relatives. _

Nabiki mused. It might not be such a bad thing after all to take advantage of such filthy rich creatures

"I'm here because word had spread around the town folk that two gallant gentlemen are temporary staying at your mansion and one of them happen to be my nephew, Lord Ranma Saotome. Where is my darling nephew now?"

At the mention of his name, her two daughters looked up with interest. Their eyes gleamed hungrily at Kuno, interrogating him to tell them Ranma's whereabouts.

"I am afraid that he is not here at the moment. He had excused himself hastily a few minutes before your grand arrival, stating he had some matters to attend to. Please take a seat in the hall while I send a footman to fetch your nephew. Meanwhile I will send my servants to serve you some refreshments. You must be tired from your journey."

Before Kuno could prepare the arrangement, Lady Cologne hit his head with her gnarled staff. He fell down headlong long, unconscious.

"I appreciate your effort but I do not see the need to. I do not want to be in his way if he has some business in town to see to. I will take my leave now but please relay a message to my nephew, stating that I want to see him as soon as his business deals are done. Let us leave, my dear Shampoo and Kodachi."

Lady Cologne de Bourgh stiffly turned and hopped away on her staff, obviously displeased with the current situation. She had not seen him since he had taken over his family business but she kept herself well informed about his whereabouts through her social network and was very satisfied with the comments she received regarding his success and character. He would surely make a powerful heir to her property and a father to strong and intelligent children.

Her two daughters shared her displeasure and they left without a word.

* * *

I am currently thinking of a new plot based on a chinese movie I had seen recently. However I am not too happy with the movie ending so right now I am thinking of a way to twist the whole story. Please give me some time. Btw, please review. The more reviews I receive, the more my mum force me to write. All hail to the mothers of the world haha 


	18. Love and Soul mate

Ryouga glared at the shadow with bloodthirsty eyes as he slammed the door shut. Humiliating him in front of Ms. Akane was big blow to his ego and pride. His mind was working overtime to provide him with endless possibilities to murder and dispose his pigtailed arch enemy.

"How dare you kick me straight into that filthy pig sty! Saotome Ranma, Prepare to….die?"

The words faded away as Ryouga looked straight into Ranma's eyes for the first time. The strong pride and fire, once reflected dominantly in the sapphire eyes, had departed silently, making way for despair and anguish to fill their place. The soulless eyes stared bleakly into the surprised brown eyes briefly, sending cold chills down Ryouga's spine.

"Ranma, what'd happened?"

_  
__Rejection_

_It hurts._

"_Stop entangling me in your flirty games, you selfish playboy. I would never expect you to go so low as to make me the object of your cruelty. To me, marriage is a sacred word bounded sacred vows of love and fidelity, not a game that a low creature like you indulged in. I finally realized what an idiot I am back in Nerima. I could not believe that my female instincts were slightly swayed by your gentleness and the maturity you displayed during our short acquaintance in Nerima. And to think I let you steal my first kiss, you rouge. But time was kind enough to show me your true colors and selfish intentions again and again."_

Ranma's hands shook. He quickly covered his ears, trying to block out the phantom voice in his head.

The phantom voice of Tendo Akane

"For God's sake, answer me you fool!"

Ryouga could feel a migraine creeping slowly into his head. He sat heavily on the velvet armchair next to Ranma's and rested his chin on his hand. This could not be happening. They should be ripping off each other's throats right now and filled this unbearable silence with curses and yells.

"What had happened between you and Miss Akane?"

The question was simple.

But

The answer was not.

_Does it ever cross your mind that a woman getting engaged and dumped by her fiancé brings not only shame to herself but also dishonor to her family? _

_Given your status and power, Lord Saotome Ranma, it would be a breeze for you to break off the engagement and yet retain the respect and honor of your kind. For my family, they would be shunned off not only by your circle but also the people who once respected and loved us. My family would the laughing stock of Nerima while you are making headlines in your gatherings as maintaining your eligible bachelor status again. I would be a fool if I allow myself to get engaged to you, knowing that you would break off the engagement once you got rid of you 'major' problem. I could bet with all my family fortune that you would never consider love as the important element to a blissful marriage. To you, it would be wealth, status and power."_

And the words hit him hard

"_For coming up with such a proposal, I hate you, Lord Saotome Ranma, to the very core of my well being"_

Ranma clenched his fists. His body shook slightly as his mind replayed the words over and over again like a broken record.

_Please, Akane. Don't hate me._

Ryouga watch the scene with worry and sadness at his friend's crumpled form. He had suspected that Ranma had feelings for Akane ever since they first met. Every single day he spent with his friend convinced him that the feelings ran deep. He could understand why. Although Akari was his fiancée, Akane still held a special place in his heart despite the fact that he only knew her for a short period of time. She had an aura that embraced and caressed her whole body, protecting her and yet exhibiting her womanly charms.

Untouchable and desirable.

The perfect combination.

Ryouga sighed. For once in his entire life, he wished that he could break off the engagement with Akari and wed Akane. He knew his parents were pretty liberal with his choice of bride. But this was not the time to think of such things. The immediate problem was that his friend had decided to keep his lips and heart sealed to the world. The blanket of emptiness was getting thicker and thicker with each passing moment. Ryouga stood up and smiled sadly at his friend. Even though, he did not know what had happened, his instincts screamed that it had something to do with Ranma's choice of words.

"Ryouga, what is love?"

Ranma finally whispered.

Ryouga closed his eyes and massage his temples. This was not what he expected from his prideful friend but it demanded an answer from him. He had to choose his words carefully now.

"I have no specific answer for this. We use this word in various contexts. The meaning is quite ambiguous if you ask for my opinion. Although I don't really know how to phrase it, I can give you a few examples."

"Spare me the lesson, Ryouga. I'm not in the mood for that"

"You asked and I am obliged to give you an answer"

Ryouga smirked. At least they were getting somewhere. Knowing that Ranma would not tolerate any more of his antics, he took a deep breath and replied gravely.

"This is one expression that even the scholars had trouble describing. It often makes its appearance in the literature and art, expressing the appeal and desirability that the subject brought to the writer. We can describe it in layman's term as a strong attraction to something or someone. But such description can only be considered the tip of the iceberg. We could not even place a finger on whom or when we will fall in love, Ranma. We cannot dominate and control it. For me, it is the most beautiful but tragic feeling that man could ever experience."

Expecting no answer, Ryouga continued with his thoughts.

"When parents arranged their children's marriage, they simply waved off the absence of love as an obstacle, saying that their children will grow to love each other as time passes. To them, both parties' status and fortunes is the only thing that matters. For the children, it seals off the possibility that they might find someone in this world that they can experience the true feelings called love. The only thing that often binds the couple together is the wealth and fortune that their partner brought to the family. Once their children were born into this world, they would continue this vicious cycle.

Of course I would not wave off the fact that some couples stuck together because of true love. But…the true love that binds a couple together does not come for free. Nothing is free in this world. Even we nobles are not spared from this rule. In exchange for our lives as nobility, we had to adhere to a code of conduct and spent time indoors doing nothing but studying the languages and arts. We had to crush the painful desire of experiencing the joy of childhood with the servant's children in us. We had to wear a mask of indifference and insolence whenever we have to attend a gathering.

Love is no exception. The price of love between a man and woman cannot be paid with money. It is paid with dedication, respect for the other party and determination to overcome the odds against them. The first taste of love is usually bitter but once you got over the bitterness, it will leave a sweet aftertaste that would nourish and feed your soul."

Ryouga felt that he had said enough. As he was answering the question, he started to contemplate on Ranma's situation and came to a startling realization that no matter what Ranma chose, the path will not be an easy one.

Deciding to lighten the mood in the already depressing room, he let on a tip.

"A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop a speech when words become superfluous. It is quote that I learnt from my grandfather. If you know that you are going to say something stupid, then just shut up and kiss her."

Ryouga turned and walked away. As his long fingers curled around the doorknob, he stopped. Staring at the stuffed lion head mounted proudly above the fireplace, he had a sudden recollection of a bloody scene he had witnessed during his previous trip to Africa.

It was one of the unique gaming activities, as his host put it that was exclusively found in Africa. He remembered that he stood in awe as he watched a death battle between two lions in an arena. The two lions, stuttered excitedly by the host, were step-brothers as they were raised by two different mothers and they are battling over the female lioness which was sitting a safe distance away from the match. The winner would mate with the female and the loser will be used as the main ingredient for the evening menu.

In the animal kingdom, the strong would produce offspring bearing his genes that would ensure the survival of the species while the weak would perish along with his bloodline. The kingdom had no place for the weak and the diseased. Nor did it have any place for love.

Would you be like them, Ranma?

Would you continue your noble bloodline, preserving your loneliness and pureness of your family's nobility like the strong?

Or perish your noble bloodline, tainting it with love and commoner blood like the weak?

"Ranma, my advice to you is push aside your pride for once and let your heart lead you down the path. If you continue to rule your destiny with your head and pride, no doubt you will become one of the most loved and admired nobleman among our companions but your heart will be soaked in pain and loneliness. The choice is yours. No matter what you choose, Ranma, you are still my best friend and rival. I will give you my full support."

Ryouga whispered and exited without looking back.

Ranma listened to the retreating footsteps and smiled wearily. No matter how many times they fought and bruised each other, the friendship between them remained strong.

In fact, Ryouga was the only true friend that Ranma ever had. Although he had grown up in the society where power and wealth dominates among its members, he could not accept his own kind as his friends. He was intelligent enough to know that they accepted him as they equated him with his parents' wealth and status. The only relationship that he allowed among such people threaded the line of mutual acquaintances.

When he was a young boy, he used to hide himself among the tall trees behind the backyard and watched the servant's children played and giggled without a worry. He was told not to associate himself with the young children because of their differences and vice versa. Whenever he appeared in front of them, the children would drop what they are doing and bowed respectfully at the young master. They have learned that they were to serve the young master in the future and their future generations were also fated to do so to the future heirs of the Saotome clan.

At least the children were able to share their joy and sorrow with each other as they grew.

The young Saotome was forced to learn the social etiquettes as required and spent most of the days with his governess learning as many subjects as he could. The rest of the days were spent in the dojo mastering the Anything Goes Saotome School of Martial Arts. At times, he would gladly give up everything to be a servant's child for just one day.

Ranma leaned back and rests his head heavily on the armchair. He did not want to feel the emptiness that haunted his childhood. It was too much to bear. The loneliness each night brought served as a reminder of the imaginary soul mate he yearned for in his childhood.

Soul mate

He remembered the romantic stories that he secretly read in his mother's bedroom whenever his parents were away to attend the social activities. As a young child, he was puzzled by the fact that the hero always found his soul mate no matter what the circumstances were and how they managed to live happily ever after despite all the obstacles and objections they faced. After reading the entire bookcase, Ranma decided that having a soul mate would be the solution to his problems. She would play with him during the day and chased away his nightmares at night. He went to places and got himself into various fights and situations in order to make his soul mate appear as the books had instructed. He practiced diligently the speech written in the books in front of the mirror so as to make sure that his soul mate would love and accept him. He also tried to mimic the actions and manners of the hero so as to increase his chances of gaining her acceptance

After a year of rescuing the damsels in distress and reciting what he had learnt to the female (since the book indicated that the soul mate must be a female), the young Saotome was horrified at the reaction he received from the ladies. Many sent him love letters attached with their scented handkerchiefs and boxes of homemade chocolates and muffins. He also received news that he had unknowingly proposed to half the ladies in town by presenting them with rings.

Since then, he had stopped performing his manly deeds and decided to dedicate his life to martial arts, abandoning his hope of searching the ever elusive soul mate.

Now, he need not search any longer. His fervent prayers finally reached the ears of the gods above. They had presented to him a goddess as his potential soul mate and offered him opportunities to impress her into accept him as her lifelong companion. But fate played a cruel trick on him. Years of abandoned hope and lack of practice made his speech rusty and manners ungentlemanly. Words did not come out as what he had intended it to be. Actions that were meant to gain her trust and love became weapons against her. He had repeatedly crushed his chances with his own actions and words so many times that he feared the gods above would grow impatient with him and presented their beloved goddess to another. They had sent him a warning once.

Sanzenin

Ranma remembered vividly every detail of their meeting. The admiration in Akane's eyes as she looked at him crushed his heart. The foreign feeling of fear and jealously that griped soul tightly as he watched the scene unfold. The raw murderous anger consumed his entire spirit as he fought with Sanzenin over Akane.

Akane is mine

Not Sanzenin's

Not Kuno's

Not Ryouga's

Mine

"RANMA"

Ryouga barged through the door breathlessly.

"R-ranma, Lady Cologne is here with her two daughters. They are waiting for you in the hall."

Ranma gritted his teeth. Why must the gods turned against him now. He had intended to use his time to pacify Akane but they sent the three hags over to liven up things

"Let's escape through the window. The stable is just below."

Ryouga's eyes narrowed angrily.

"Escape on your own Ranma. I don't think I would follow you and leave Miss Akane alone. She is also presented at the living room now. Apparently, their spies had observed you and Miss Akane returning from the garden grounds. I had this dreadful feeling that Lady Cologne suspected that there is something going on between you and Miss Akane. She is now interrogating Miss Akane and her two daughters had their crazy weapons ready. The situation does not look too good."

Ranma cursed. This was definitely not good. He quickly made his way down in time, with Ryouga behind him. In a brash voice, he greeted the wrinkled lady at the entrance.

"Good to see you, old hag."

Author's note: Another chapter is done. A pretty long one I should say. The first draft was done 2 months ago but I have added a lot of scenes since yesterday. I would like to thank all my readers who have been following this story. And of course your reviews are the main reason that I dug through tons of documents to retrieve the original manuscript for this. Thank you for being so patient with me. And I make it a resolution (hopefully I can keep it) that I will reply to all the reviews I received starting from now on.


	19. The Game of Nobles

Lady Cologne glared suspiciously at the small party gathered at the hall with her beady eyes. When Kuno approached her to extend his welcome to her family, she swapped him away with a flick of her shriveled finger, sending him straight to the wall next to her. She was definitely not in the mood to hear any of his nonsensical language at this moment.

Minutes ago, she had received some absurd but disturbing news regarding her stubborn future son-in-law's illicit romance with a commoner. Initially, she had dismissed them as rumors spread by resentful neighbors who were envious of her daughters' brilliant future prospects. However, the reluctance of entering into an engagement Lord Ranma had displayed during their previous meetings was a foreboding sign and a hindrance to her future plans. Both parties knew that the time for both families to reunite was drawing near but the future groom had showed signs of rebellion whenever the subject matter was brought up. Given his stubbornness and intelligence, he would no doubt be planning a scheme that would earn him the right to break this engagement

To secure her daughters' (and ultimately her own) future and happiness, she decided to make haste to the Kuno mansion and confronted the rumored foe.

Kodachi de Bourgh skipped past her mother and twirled her ribbon round a small vase displayed on the coffee table. With minimal effort, she raised the vase and sent it crashing at Soun Tendo's feet.

"How dare you filthy commoner lie to the Great House of de Bourgh! We have received news that my dear handsome Lord Ranma was tortured in this flimsy rat-infested hut. I would not be surprised that Kuno had connections with such lowly creatures. However, I had never expected that you had kept my darling's presence away from us when Mother decided to pay such lowly creatures a visit. Foul liars, be prepared to receive the poison thorns of the Black Rose."

Ending her speech with a maniacal laugh, she uncoiled another ribbon that was tied securely to her waist and whipped at the small coffee table with venom. In a matter of seconds, the elegant coffee table split neatly into half and the china coffee cups broke into small pieces of fragments, staining the tiger skin rug with coffee. Tatewaki Kuno inwardly seethed at the mess but he was in no condition to do anything.

Shampoo, oblivious to her sister's antics, walked gracefully towards Akane. Her mouth curled into an evil smile as she lifted Akane's chin up with her slender hand.

"Shampoo had not seen you a while ago. Shampoo thinks you are the rumored girl that my dear Ranma is infatuated with. Mother, ta shi wo men de di ren. Wo yi ting yao xiao mie ta (She is our enemy. I must destroy her.)"

She pushed Akane roughly in front of lady Cologne, much to the horror of the Tendo ladies, to seek her mother's judgment. Kodachi laughed manically and raised her ribbon in a fighting stance. Hearing her sister's testimony, she was leaving Akane with nothing but her bare arms to defend herself as a punishment for bewitching her beloved.

Kasumi and Nabiki, fearing for their sister's safety, tried to intervene but Shampoo stopped their paths with two spike maces.

"Shampoo would not like to leave scars on your pathetic faces. Shampoo now waits for Mother's permission to punish her. You would not interfere with Mother's judgement."

"So does your ladyship expect us to stand by quietly and watch our unarmed sister under the mercy of your barbaric weapons?" Nabiki hissed at Shampoo menacingly

"Shampoo senses that you are the cleverest among this bunch of pigs so Shampoo thinks you know what you should do for your own safety. Shampoo warn clever girl not to talk too much else Shampoo would not be sorry to destroy you. Know your place fools"

"Don't you dare to abuse your power and standing on my daughters. Although we are a family of scarce fortune, that does not justify your actions to hurt them. Moreover, my precious darlings had done nothing to face your wrath. Lay a scratch on their faces and you will have to deal with me." Soun Tendo roared.

He took a step forward to the threatening party but Shampoo, on instinct, swung her mace straight to Soun's stomach and sent him flying across the hall. Fortunately, his deteriorating martial art skills allow him to evade serious injuries from the mace spikes. Not satisfied with her work, Shampoo prepared to hurl her spiked mace to Soun's leg but her wrist movements were hindered by a wooden sword.

"Although you had my admiration and respect, my lady, I cannot overlook the fact that you intrude into my house in such an unceremonious manner and threatened to harm my future in laws. A man who only stood by and watch his family members get hurt would be labeled as a coward in the society. Not only had you held my future in laws, you also put my future wife's life in jeopardy. Therefore, in this painful moment of my life, I have to raise my sword against you and your beautiful daughters."

There were no emotions Kuno's voice but the sudden shift of his bruised fingers around the hilt of his sword indicated the seriousness of his threat. He struggled to defend Soun with his bokken but his injuries were hampering his futile attempts.

"My darlings please put your weapons aside at this moment. I do not foresee the need to raise such a ruckus over some mere rumors we heard. My dear countrymen please pardon our intrusion and hostility that my daughters have shown. You can be assured that no harm would be done to Ms. Akane as I do not permit the use of violence among the people unless we face a special situation"

Stepping forward, Lady Cologne examined her rumored foe. Her brown eyes showed no sign of fear despite the harsh treatment she was subjected to. In fact, she returned the glare equally and was not the least frightened at the ominous threat before her. The old lady could also sense an aura of fighting spirit within the young lady.

If the rumors were true, this woman in front of her would definitely be a worthy opponent despite her commoner status.

"Ms. Akane, I have heard from my aides that you are an acquaintance of my dear nephew, Lord Saotome Ranma. I am Lady Cologne de Bourgh, the aunt and future mother-in-law of Ranma. I am sure that, through your interactions with my patron Kuno Takewaki, you would have an extensive knowledge of our fortune and power we held among the nobles. It is also expected of you and your family to be aware of the respect that I and my daughters commanded from our fellow peers."

"Please be assured, my ladies, that my family and I had received a wonderful commendation of you from my cousin. Throughout his stay with us, he had sung such wonderful praises about you that I could not help but feel pleased that I have the opportunity to speak to you." Akane spoke with ease and looked straight into the old lady's eyes.

Lady Cologne stared at the lady in front of her. Although Akane's tone was confident and showed no hints of menace, she could not help but noticed the choice of words in her answer. Most people would bow lowly in her presence and stammered the words "I-I am honored to be in your presence, your ladyship" and nothing else.

It seems that Akane regarded her of equal standing and made no indication of being intimidated in her presence.

Definitely a strong and dangerous foe

"How old are you, Ms. Akane?"

"With two elder sisters in the same room as me, it would inappropriate for me to reveal my age. Your lady could hardly expect me to be insensitive of my sister's feelings."

"You vile little thing, how dare you evade my mother's question"

"Shampoo thinks that girl not too smart. Weak enemy"

"Please disregard my question, Ms Akane. Of course, revealing your age would mean indirectly revealing your sisters' ages. It is almost a taboo among ladies to reveal their ages to mere strangers.

Pardon my Shampoo's inability to converse in English. She was sent to China to study the ancient arts and culture from a relative of ours. Under our relative's guidance, not forgetting her intelligence, she was well-versed in the culture, language and arts of the different races in China. A woman with such strong connections in China would definitely be an asset to the Saotome family in the business arena once she marries Ranma.

I took Kodachi under my wing and taught her the trades of herbs and poisons. In just two years of training, she became the mistress of the traditional tea ceremony and owner of the 'Le Black Rose'. Once she stepped into the Saotome household, her skills and knowledge would proved to be invaluable to the expansion of Saotome trading empire. Moreover, she has the gift of having people twirling round her finger. I'm sure her in laws would be please to have her by Ranma's side during balls.

Of course, we could not forget that Lord Ranma comes from a noble linage and demanded much from his future wife. Both Shampoo and Kodachi dearest have excelled admirably in the feminine arts of the society and would not put the Saotome's name to shame."

Lady Cologne smiled proudly at her daughters' achievements.

Akane gave a small smile in return. The de Bourgh ladies' achievements were certainly admirable and enviable.

However their personalities were not.

Such ferocious creatures would surely be compatible for that conceited jerk…

Oh yes, they would really served his needs _really_ well.

Ignoring the small pang in her heart, she replied.

"Your ladyship, judging from your account of your two daughters, I am sure that they are both young and talented ladies who Lord Ranma Saotome would come to love and treasure. But surely only one of the two ladies could be wedded in the Saotome family. Marriage is a sacred ceremony that represents the commitment that a man and woman made to become eternal partners for life and be faithful to one another. A man's heart can be frivolous during his bachelor days. But once he says his vows and wears the ring on his wedding finger, his heart only beats for the one he calls 'his wife'. Having two admirable daughters would only prove to be too much of a temptation to Lord Ranma and he only can choose one. Please share with us your opinion to this problem."

Lady Cologne was quite astonished at the question posted to her. If this lady in front of her was born in a society which practices meritocracy, she would rise to power easily with her quick wits. Keeping her emotions in check, she said in a confident tone,

"A man's power and status is judged by his wealth, linage, manners and the number of women he had. Not just any women, I would say, but women of powerful connections and status. It is of no surprise to us that men in our circle have mistresses to keep them company and satisfy their lust. Moreover, they even brought their mistresses as their partners to the gatherings and introduce them as their lovers. A man would only give his mistresses the rightful title 'wife' if the woman was able to command respect among his circle. Since my two daughters surpassed all the women in his acquaintances in terms of intelligence and connections, marrying both of them would be served to advantageous to Ranma as their presences as his wives would elevate his position and status among his peers."

Pausing to catch her breath, Lady Cologne scrutinized the obstacle right in front of her. The girl did not show any signs of discomfort or jealousy throughout her long explanation. Instead she just smiled serenely. Before Lady Cologne could question her intentions, a familiar yet obnoxious greeting caught her attention.

"Good to see you old hag. It has been a long time since we last met. Pardon my rudeness for not paying you a visit when my companion and I decided to drop by this neighborhood. Since your age is catching up with you, it really pained me to see you taking such great lengths just to make me feel welcome. Thus, I decided to accept Kuno's offer to rest at his place instead of yours. I must admit the place is a little too crowded for my liking but Kuno had been a very gracious host and had ensured my needs are comfortably met."

Everyone turned to stare at Lord Ranma descending the stairs proudly with Lord Ryouga behind. All except Akane

"Oh my dear Lord Ranma, you finally come back to my arms." Kodachi attempted to wrap him with her ribbon and draw him close for a kiss but he avoided it with ease. With a small jump, he landed gracefully in front of Lady Cologne and bowed in an obnoxious manner. Ryouga followed behind quietly and gave a small formal bow.

"My future son-in-law, it has been months since we met. I am pleased that you are willing to meet me finally. I hope to receive good news from you with regards to the engagement."

"My lady, I could reassure you that since the engagement was foremost the most important decision of my life, I have given much attention to this matter but I have yet to commit myself. However such discussion could be delayed since we have much time. Why don't you return back to your haven and rest? I would drop by a few days later to discuss the engagement with you. Besides, it is quite inappropriate to discuss such private issues in front of mere strangers."

Ranma answered her breezily. He crossed his fingers and silently prayed that the old wrinkled prune would heed his advice. His recent conversation with Akane still unnerved him and Ranma had no intentions of allowing his aunt to destroy the piteous remains of his relationship with his angel.

However Lady Cologne saw through his ruse and she would not lead him slip through her fingers that easily this time.

"It was no trouble, son-in-law. Besides, I am just educating this young lady here about the norms in our society. Our views of marriage differ greatly. Of course, I decided that your engagement to my daughters would make a fine illustration of the rules that we nobles abide to."

Her words took Ranma by surprise.

And fear.

Ryouga remained impassive at Lady Cologne's answer but he could sense his friend's composure crumbled under the weight of her words. If Ranma was to react viciously at this moment, it would affirm Lady Cologne's suspicions about her nephew's feelings for Miss Akane. This would not bode well for Miss Akane as Lady Cologne was known to eliminate any competitors who were brave enough to vie for Ranma's attentions. He quickly stepped between Ranma and Cologne, effectively obscuring Ranma from his aunt's view, and asked in a polite voice,

"And praise, my dear lady, what views do you uphold?"

"That marriage amongst our kind equals to power, status and fortune. I am sure both of you, young fellows, would be aware of that by now. However, Ms Akane seems to hold a different and, I should say, naïve view."

Ranma struggled to remain calm but his hands shook slightly with murderous intent to kill his aunt. He should have been in control of this conversation by now. Given his stubbornness to commit himself to the engagement, Lady Cologne had no choice but to listen to his sickening sweet words like a puppy and left him alone. But Fate had decided to play with him further by letting his malicious aunt stay at this critical moment and assisted it in widening the huge gap between him and his angel. Given his recent fight with Akane, he had no doubts that she would condemn the aristocratic marriage rules and its players.

_That marriage amongst our kind equals to power, status and fortune_

Moreover his dear aunt decided to publicize his ridiculous engagement to her and use it as an example of how an aristocratic marriage should be played.

_Your engagement to my daughters would make a fine illustration of the rules that we nobles abide by_

Using his engagement as an example would be implying to the world, and to his angel, that he, Lord Ranma Saotome, was one of the avid players of this so called aristocratic marriage game.

_To me, marriage is a sacred word bounded sacred vows of love and fidelity, not a game that a low creature like you indulged in_

The words rang in his ears again. He was sure that Akane had degraded him to a man worse than rouge after she had heard Lady Cologne's detailed lecture. Closing his eyes, he had tried to regain back some semblance of sanity before he could converse with his aunt in a polite manner and, hopefully, led his aunt away. However no coherent sentences could be formed on his lips without any cruel intentions

Instead, Ranma tried to look offended at his aunt's reply to Ryouga's question, hoping that it would send the desired message to Akane that he did not approve of his aunt's view.

But the lady chose to ignore him thoroughly and her life would be in greater danger if his eyes rest on her any longer.

He had to salvage this situation fast.

Akane avoided making eye contact with Lord Ranma when her name was mentioned and chose to accept Lady Cologne's remarks with all the forbearance of civility. No doubt that Lady Cologne was indirectly hinting to Akane that Lord Ranma would abide the traditional marriage notion among nobles. However it was not Lady Cologne's words that affected her spirits greatly. Instead it was the stupid jerk that was the root of her discomfort and hurt she was feeling.

She could act as though nothing had happened after their recent conversation. His words had brought her to new levels of pain she thought she would not have felt if he was not in her life. Instead of tasting the triumph she thought she had earned through her conversation with Lady Cologne, the only taste left in her tongue was bitterness. She should be happy that it was impossible to start a relationship with Lord Ranma because of their different standings in the society and the near impossible obstacles that stood their way. He had let her on by giving her a glimmer of hope and then crushing it with his words.

But the supposed happiness did not happen at all. Instead it was just emptiness and pain.

She could not understand why her heart could treat her so cruelly.

Resolved to appear in calmness, she smiled,

"I am delighted and happy that your ladyship had finally reunited with your beloved nephew and son-in-law. It is of no surprise that both sides will have much to catch up with especially Lord Ranma, Lady Shampoo and Lady Kodachi. Perhaps my family and I would excuse ourselves to give you room for privacy."

"Thank you for your generosity young lady but I would prefer to be back in my haven. Since son-in-law had commented that this place was too small for him, I would have my valet to prepare a room for him at my place. Lord Ryouga, would you like to stay with us too or would you prefer to be here in the company of such a lively group?"

Lord Ryouga gravely accepted her invitation to stay at her place. Miss Akane was surrounded by a caring and loving family but Ranma was surrounded by wild cats and black poisonous roses. He gave a slight nod when his friend gave him a weak but gratified smile.

The two ladies, Shampoo and Kodachi, were not too keen in having an intruder to interrupt their 'planned activities' with their betrothed but they could not do anything about it.

_Wait for me, Akane. I will come back for you and prove that I will be the one and only one who will take the sacred vow of love and fidelity with you. _

_Not Ryouga_

_Not Kuno_

_Only me_

_I will do what it takes to show you that I am a man capable of loving you._

With this silent vow, Lord Ranma walked determinedly to the carriage.

Author's Note:

Finally this chapter is done.. It was hidden in my hard drive for centauries but your reviews have motivated me to pick it up again and typed out the contents. I know the scenes are moving slowly but I just want to focus on the thoughts and feeling of each character. Right now I am re-reading all the RA fanfictions that I have so that I could regain back the RxA obsession I had. And before I forget, this is the unbeta-ed version. I do not have a beta reader so there will bound to be grammatical errors. If any kind soul would like help me to clean these, just copy the context into MS Word, edit the changes in red font, and send it to me at I will credit you for your kindness in the following chapters. And yes this story is still ongoing.

As promised from my last chapter, I will reply to all your reviews.

Ranmakane: Thanks a lot for your review. In the anime and manga, I held the same views as you about Ranma being stubborn and Akane being blind about their relationship. That's why I intend to bring these two characteristics into this story so that the characters do not really divert that much.

Angela Jewell: Thanks for your review and motivation. Hope you will continue to review the subsequent chapters

UnheardSymphony: I understand what you mean by the lack of fanfic. This anime and manga is more than 20 years old and only a few tend to keep the fanfics rowing in. Thanks a lot for your review.

Icyblossom: And here is the update for you as thanks for your review and support

Upgrade: Yup, leaving Akane with the formidable 3 would be Lord Ranma's worst nightmare. Thanks for your review.

Anon: Thanks a lot for your support and review. Here is the update and another one is on the way.

noriko taishii: Thanks a lot for your support and review. Yup It has really been a long time since I sat down and type this stuff. But it is well worth my time to update this fanfic as my thanks to your encouragement.

luv-a-lot-gurl: Thanks for the encouragement and review. You make my time spent in this fanfic rewarding. Hope this chapter will interest you further to read on.

PPMKatie: I also have to admit something terrible: I nearly discontinued this story due to tight schedules (you know the drill ). But I am very touched that you still read my story and reviewed. And of course this update will not be the last update. There will be more to come once I find the time and reviews like yours comes in at the right time to remind me of my commitment to this story.

Priestess Kohana: Thanks for giving me time to update this story and voila! Here it is. (and more to come)

kats24: Thanks for your review. Here is the update. Hope you will continue to review the story.

briana bay: Thanks a lot for making this story one of your favorite. Whether it is ending soon I am not very sure because I have been re-reading P&P and there are a few scenes that I still want to enact. Actually it is the mini series that inspire me to write this fanfiction as it renewed my interest in P&P. Of course at that time I was into Ranma so the timing was perfect. Keep reviewing.

numbskull: Thanks a lot for your review. Here is the update for this story. Hope to receive your review soon.

Andreiush: Thanks a lot for your review and your willingness to help me to correct the grammar. I understand what you mean about the grammar problems because everytime I will find some grammar errors whenever I read the chapters some time later. I would try to fix the errors as soon as possible. I would be very grateful if you can email the errors. Its been a really long time since I wrote essays. Hahaha. Please review.


	20. Rival At the Doorstep

The new chapter has finally arrive

…………………………………………

A few days after the incident, the Tendo family and Kuno received a letter from Lady Cologne's mansion. The contents mentioned that Lady Cologne had invited them to dine with her and reassured them that their relationship as neighbours were not dented by the small incident.

The invitation was accepted by Kuno of course, and the next day, they joined the party in Lady Cologne's dinning room. Her ladyship received them civilly, but it was plain that their company was by no means so acceptable as when she could get nobody else The dinner was exceedingly handsome but no one, except Lady Cologne's family, enjoyed it. Lady Cologne was, in fact, almost engrossed by her future son-in-law, speaking to him much more than to any other person in the room. Ranma was seated between Shampoo and Kodachi and was trying to avoid getting fed by them. Only Ryouga greeted them cheerfully and attempted to engage into conversation with each of them.

Before the dinner was finished, the company heard loud voices echoing from the corridor.

"Such extravagance is too much for my liking and only serves to suffocate me."

"Now lad, be mindful of your manners. You should have known that such remarks would further strain our relationship with the lady of the house. Surely you could at least remember that she is particularly fond of this house."

"I apologize for my bluntness but I have no recollection that we had a relative here"

Their approach was announced by a knock on the door, and shortly afterwards the butler and two gentlemen entered the room. The butler, who led the way, bowed lowly before facing Lady Cologne with an apologetic expression.

"Forgive me my lady but the two gentlemen insist that they are your distant relatives and demand to see you immediately. Their names are……"

"Yes I do know their names. Instead of standing there like an idiot, go and make yourself useful by providing them refreshment. They must be tired from such a long journey."

Lady Cologne snapped before turning towards the older gentleman.

"It has been years since we last met. I am pleased to see that your grandson has turned into such a fine lad. However, he seems to be lacking some traits that prevent me from acknowledging him as a gentleman."

Lady Shampoo and Kodachi laughed cruelly and did nothing to hide their distaste for the younger gentleman.

Offended, the older gentleman tried to retort. However ten days of traveling had taken a toll on his health and he could do nothing but settled for a scowl instead. The younger gentleman looked disinterestedly at the group until his eyes fell onto a particular blue-haired lady. She was not laughing with his two cousins at his plight. Instead she seemed angry at their unruly behavior towards his grandfather. When their eyes locked, she gave him a reassuring smile and, for some reason, his mood lightened. Gathering his courage, he walked up to the lady, took off his glove and held her right hand into his. Kissing her hand softly, he said shyly,

"It is an honor to meet such a beautiful lady like you here. My name is Shinnosuke, heir of the Orochi Mansion"

"The pleasure is mine. My name is Akane Tendo." Akane curtseyed and introduced him to the rest of her family.

Lord Shinnosuke was about thirty, not as handsome as Lord Ranma, but in person and address most truly the gentleman. Grateful for the warm reception given by the Tendo family, he entered into the conversation directly with the readiness and ease of a well-bred man, and talked very pleasantly to each them. His manners were very much admired among the Tendo family, and the ladies all felt that he was welcome addition to the company they were subjected to.

Once everyone adjourned to Lady Cologne's drawing room for tea and coffee, Shinnosuke describe his house to the Tendo ladies.

"Our mansion is situated near the Ryuwaganza forest. As our ancestors are esteemed hunters, they had decided to buy the Ryuwaganza forest and convert it to a private zoo for the exotic animals captured during their travels. During our free time, my grandfather and I would inspect the grounds and do a little hunting."

Isn't that the place where Akane was lost? I remembered a well dressed boy holding a rack found her and led her back to us.

"Oh my. Now that you mentioned about this, I recalled that our family was having a picnic near the Ryuwaganza grounds during our travel. Akane was only three then and she was a very energetic little girl. She went missing for about three hours and our parents, especially Mother, were hysterical. We were about to get a search party when we heard the sound of a horn. We followed the sound and found Akane in a small clearing of the forest. She was blowing a very small horn with all her might. Luckily, she was uninjured save for a few cuts."

"My poor daughter. You gave us all a shock when you went missing for three hours. I was so afraid that a wild animal might have eaten you. Oh my poor Akane…" Soun wailed.

While her family was reminiscing about the incident, Akane decided to entertain Lord Ryouga and Shinnosuke while pointedly ignoring the pigtailed lord. Shinnosuke seemed really glad to see them; anything was a welcome relief to him here. Moreover, the youngest Tendo lady had moreover caught his fancy very much. He now seated himself by her, and talked so agreeably of travelling and staying at home, of new books and music, that Akane and Ryouga had never been half so well entertained in that room before. The three of them conversed with so much spirit and flow, as to draw the attention of Shinnosuke's grandfather, as well as of a certain pigtailed lord. His blue eyes had been soon and repeatedly turned towards them with a look of curiosity and envy. There was something about the scene before him that seems to affectionate that it did not settle well in his heart.

The older gentleman, after a while, shared the feeling, was more open to acknowledge, for he did not scruple to tease his grandson:

"Shinnosuke, you have finally found a perfect companion to enjoy life with. I can now leave the world at ease."

"Grandfather, you are making Akane embarrassed with your thoughtless remarks."

"HO! I'm impressed that you are now on first name basis with Ms Tendo."

Akane smiled. She began to like Shinnosuke's grandfather as he bore no ill intent towards her family throughout the evening.

"My lord, we were just conversing about books and travels. Lord Ryuoga and I had never traveled as widely as Lord Shinnosuke and, thus, we were enraptured by the stories of his travel."

"It has been a while since both of us had the pleasure to enjoy the company of others rather than just Lady Cologne and her family. I understand that both of you had a long journey and would wish to rest. Please do not hesitate to take your leave should you feel weary." Ryouga added.

The older gentleman laughed. At least there were some people who treated them far more graciously than his hosts and he was very glad that Shinnosuke had managed to hit off well with Lord Ryouga and Lady Akane despite his shyness. Moreover he could felt his grandson's affections for the youngest Tendo daughter from afar. He could not gauge her reactions towards his grandson's newly formed feelings but based on his observations for the past few hours, he would definitely approve of her if Shinnosuke had intentions to court her. She would made a fine addition to the family.

As the older gentleman spied Shinnosuke rubbing his right arm absently, he smiled sadly.

If only she knew…

Author's notes

Hi everyone. I know it has been a long time since I have updated a new chapter. I have been spending time juggling between studies and work so this story was not on the top of my priority list for the past few months. But then, I just want to let you guys know that I have not given up the story. The holiday season is coming soon so I will be able to squeeze in some time to write up a new chapter. Cheers everyone


	21. Midnight visit

As Akane prepared for bed, she began to reminisce about the events earlier on. Although the trip was entirely ruined by the presence of Lady Cologne and her daughters, she was thankful that Lord Ryouga and Lord Shinnosuke were there to salvage the situation.

Especially Lord Shinnosuke.

Despite his title, she found him to be a warm and modest person like Lord Ryouga. His companionship proved to be a great relief to her during their visit to Lady Cologne's residence as it serves to keep her entertained. More importantly, his presence kept Ranma away from her. She caught the pigtailed lord throwing sidelong glances at Lord Shinnosuke and her throughout the evening but made no attempt to join the conversation.

As Akane put away her necklace in the jewelry box, her eyes caught sight of a small wooden horn well hidden in the midst of her valuables. Slowly, she took it out from her box and examined it, her fingers slowly tracing the outline of the horn. Remembering her family discussing about the Ryuwaganza incident during dinner, Akane could not help but shivered slightly in fear as the horrifying memories of that incident flooded her mind. Had it not been the boy who fought off the animals and offered his horn to aid her, she would have been reunited with her mother by now. For an instance, she wondered what had happened to the boy who saved her. He should have been a young man by now and of similar age as Lord Ryouga or Lord Shinnosuke. She recalled him being injured in an attempt to defend her from one of the animal's claws as they tried to escape from the forest. The wounds were quite severe and Akane had no doubt that they would leave horrible scars on the boy for life. She knew that she would have to make a trip back to Ryuwaganza one day to search for her savior and return him the horn. Perhaps she could ask Lord Shinnosuke to assist her with her search since he was familiar with Ryuwaganza. For now, it horn now served as her good luck charm and she carried it along with her on her trips in hope that it would keep her safe from harm's way.

Sighing softly, Akane was about to put away the horn when a hand reached out and snatched it away from her. Shocked, she tried to scream but the intruder grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth with a gloved hand.

"Hush my lady. I am sure you do not want your entire family member to barge into your chambers right now. I swear, on my family's honor, that I meant no harm. If you promise not to scream or try to tackle me, I will release you."

Akane's eyes widen in recognition of the intruder's voice and her body began to shake in anger. She could not believe her intruder could be so bold as to sneak into her chambers in the middle of the night. Ignoring his request, Akane tried to struggle out of her intruder's arms but to no avail. Instead, she could feel his arms tighten around her in response to her attempt to break free, bringing their bodies way too close for comfort. For a long while, they stayed in this position, testing each other's endurance. Finally, Akane nodded slightly, resisting the urge to bite the hand that is covering her mouth. In an instant, the intruder released his grip and stepped back away from her. Assured that Akane abide to his request, he began to examine the horn.

"Such a simple wooden horn. I must admit the craftsmanship is pretty good by the looks of it but I doubt that the sound it produces would not be pleasing to the audience's ears given that it is owned by you. Am I to presume that this is the only musical instrument that you have played in your entire life?"

Akane glared at the intruder and tried to grab the horn back but he leapt gracefully out of her reach. After a few moments of trying to determine his purpose of visit and behaviour, she sat on her bed tiredly and ignored him. Her body became rigid when she heard her bed creak at the additional weight as the intruder sat on the other end of her bed, leaving a respectable distance between them. Unperturbed by her lack of response, he continued his examination on the horn

"Hmmm…It suits you pretty well since you are full of hot air and definitely not well versed in music like most ladies I know. More importantly, with such clumsy fingers and inhuman strength, even the finest pianoforte would sound equally bad as the cheaper ones", he chuckled.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night, Lord Ranma? Lady Cologne and her daughters would not be pleased to know that their favourite lord takes pleasure in visiting a lady's chamber in an unearthly hour. Go and visit their chambers instead. I am sure they would give you a grand welcome and, perhaps, fulfill your amorous desires." Akane whispered viciously, resisting the urge to throw Ranma out of the window. She could not bear the shame if her family barged in and discovered the pigtailed lord sitting comfortably on her bed.

"Do you think that I want to visit the chamber of an unrefined lady like you in the first place? Don't you dare question my integrity of my sudden visit. I told you earlier that I meant you no harm and I intend to keep to my promise so please be assured that my intentions are pure." His blue eyes bore into hers.

Not wanting to meet his intense gaze, she turned her attention to nails and studied them intensively. Despite his words, Akane could not help but feel vulnerable in front of Lord Ranma as she was only dressed in her white nightgown while he was still dressed in his dinner suit. She could feel that the young lord was studying her and she attempted to fight off the insecurity in her.

"I merely want answers."

"I apologize my lord for you have come to the wrong place to seek the answers you want. We both know that, in addition to my lack of knowledge in music, I do not have the benefit of receiving of education that compliments your upbringing. Perhaps Lady Shampoo and Lady Kodachi would have the answers to your questions on certain topics that are unfamiliar to me. Suffice to say, I do not have the answers you want. Please go back to where you came from and let me rest."

His eyes narrowed at her reply.

_How dare she brush him off with sarcasm after all the trouble I took to make it here. Doesn't she understand how important her answers are to me since I risk my life and reputation as a well bred gentleman to enter her chambers for nonsensical reasons? _

Thanks to the training he received when he was a child, Ranma was able to escape from Lady Cologne's residence silently. However, his journey to Kuno's residence proved to be tedious as he could only silently go by foot with a small lamp to guide him through the huge forest that separate Kuno's residence from Lady Cologne's. Riding the horse was out of question as the noise would wake the guard dogs out and alert nearby residents. A rational part of him could understand the resistance Akane put up and her sarcastic nature when he entered her chambers but he could not leave without getting what he wants. Besides, he could not remember his room having such a flowery aroma as hers during his stay at Kuno's. It was as if her scent enveloped the entire room. He could spend the hours here in her room without moving a muscle and taking in her scent. Perhaps he should commissioned the servants to replace every single item in this room once Akane left so that Kuno would not have the luxury of owning this 'Akane-scented' room. Taking a deep breath, he whispered softly

"Hear me out, Miss Akane. I do not wish to alarm you with my presence. Your opinion matters to me much hence I risked my reputation and well being to venture into your chambers uninvited. Once I hear your replies, I will leave."

When she offered him no reply, he decided to ask her the question that has been plaguing him since her visit to Lady Cologne's residence.

"What did Lord Shinnosuke speak to you about during the entire dinner?"

Akane whirled around and stared at him in disbelief. She could not believe that he would come in the middle of the night in her chamber to ask questions regarding her conversation with Lord Shinnosuke.

"I don't see how my conversation with Lord Shinnosuke concerns you, Lord Ranma. "

Ranma closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down. How could he tell Akane that she took in Lord Shinnosuke's words with such deep interest that he could not help but felt his chest tighten every time she smiled or laughed during the entire conversation. He could recall a time when he had such a conversation with her. At best, they would treat each other in a civil and polite manner. Most of the time, they would treat the other party coldly or ignore each other presence. There was definitely no room for them to discuss light hearted topics such as music and books.

"It does since you keep glancing in my direction once in a while so I presume that it is related to me."

"Please be assured that this is not the case. Lord Shinnosuke and I were just conversing about the nature and music. I must admit it has been a long while since I enjoyed such conversations and Lord Shinnosuke had provided many interesting insights and stories due to his love for nature. If you are curious in knowing the exact contents of our discussion, perhaps Lord Ryouga would be able to tell you since he was also an active participant in our conversation. Moreover, he…"

"Do you enjoy being with him?" Ranma interrupted.

"I beg your pardon?"

"A simple minded fool could also see that Lord Shinnosuke takes an interest in you. He gave his undivided attention to you throughout the evening and was a true gentleman to you. It was also clear to me that you are at ease in his presence. So tell me, will you return his affections?"

Akane sighed. She did not know what to make out of his questions and she could not understand why Ranma would take such an interest in her life despite his cold civility towards her. She closed her eyes and tried to picture her life with Lord Shinnosuke.

"Perhaps he was taught to be polite to ladies by his grandfather. He is definitely a well mannered gentleman and I truly enjoyed his company this evening. However my time with him is brief. Maybe if we spend more time with each other in the next few days, then perhaps I could…"

Before she could finish her thoughts, Ranma stood up and walk towards the window. He didn't think he had the courage to hear the rest of her sentence. His acquaintance with her was longer than that of Lord Shinnosuke yet Akane was willing to consider Lord Shinnosuke as a future companion instead of him. The thought of it made him nauseous.

"Yes, I am sure that, given time, he would prove to be a very dependable person and an eligible bachelor among your peers. Besides I admire Shinnosuke for his patience and willingness to converse with you since there Lady Shampoo and Lady Kodachi could make a better conversation with him since they are nature lovers too." Ranma stated coldly before disappearing through the window, leaving an angry but bewildered Akane behind.

Author's note: Another chapter uploaded at last. I decided to write this after watching the Ryuwaganza OVA episode, one of my favourite RA episodes in the whole series. Coincidently, the episode where Elizabeth visited Charlotte's house was definitely one of my favourite part in the whole PP story. Apologies for any grammatical errors as this was written a few hours ago due to the sudden inspiration obtained from the episode. Please enjoy and review.


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